HISTORY  OF 

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An  Illustrated  History 


OF 


MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 


A  COMPLETE    CIVIL,  POLITICAL,  AND    MILI- 
TARY HISTORY  OF  THE  COUNTY,  FROM 
ITS     EARLIEST     PERIOD     OF    OR- 
GANIZATION DOWN    TO    1896. 


INCLUDING  SKETCHES  OF  PIONEER  LIFE,  ANEC- 
DOTES,    BIOGRAPHY,     AND    LONG-DRAWN 
REMINISCENCES  SPUN  OUT  BY  THE 
"OLDEST     INHABITANT." 


BY 

ANK  HICKENLOOPER, 

ALBIA,  IOWA. 
1896. 


Sold  Only  on  Subscription. 


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Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1896, 

By  frank  HICKENLOOPER, 

In  the  Office  of  the  Librarian  of  Congrass,  at  Washington,  D.  C. 


ERRATA. 

( )n  pa^es  50-51,  in  all  names  tollowing  lliat  of  Ira  15.  Ilutchins,  lo  that 
of 'riios.  I.  Forest,  cxceptinij  those  of  N.  15.  .Moore  and  <)  S.  McCoy,  the 
(late  of  mustering  in  should  read:  "July  17>  'f"-" 

( )n  pajje  138.  thinl  para_L;raph,  the  name  Stephen  R.  liarnes  should  read: 
".\lpheus  R.  Barnes." 

On  page  161,  the  (late  f^iven  in  ist  paragraph  should  read  1886;  the 
name,  .A.  A.  Ramsay  should  he  extracted  from  the  3d  paragraph;  and  that  of 
Jo.siah  T.  Young  inserted  in  the  4th,  immediately  after  that  of  J.  C.  Roheson. 

On  page  277,  seventh  jiaragraph,  sul)stitute  the  word  "discipline"  for 
that  of  "doctrine." 

On  page  31S,  the  title  to  the  illustration  should  read:  "VVajiello  Coal 
Company  s  Works.  Iliteman,  !o\va  " 


TO 
THE  OLD  SETTLERS  WHOSE  FAITH  IN  THE  FUTURE  OF 
MONROE  COUNTY 
WAS  UNSHAKEN  BY  THE  MIDNI JHT  CHORUS  OF  THE  WILD  WOLVES,  THE 
STING  OF  THE  WINTER'S  FROST  CREEPING   THROUGH   THE  "CHINK- 
ING  "  OF  THE  CABIN  W.\LLS   THE  SWEEP  OP  THE  PRAIRIE   FIRES, 
THE  DEPLETED   MEAL-CHEST,  THE  STROKE  OF  THE   PRAIRIE 
RATTLESNAKE,  THE  PALL  OF  THE  "DEEP  SNOW,"  AND  THE 
LONELINESS  OF   THE    PRAIRIE   CABIN— HUSBANDS  AND 
WIVES,     YOUTHS     AND     MAIDENS,     WHOSE     BRAVE, 
TRUE    HEARTS    AND    WILLING    HANDS    DEFIED 
THE    WILDERNESS]  AND    IN    AFTER    YEARS 
MADE    IT    TO     BLOSSOM    AS    THE    RC)SE, 
THIS    VOLUME    IS  MOST    SINCERELY    DEDICATED. 


0/^% 


-^f  cn^c^^ 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1896, 

By  frank  HICKENLOOPER, 

In  the  Office  of  the  Librarian  of  Congress,  at  Washington,  D.  C. 


TO 
THE  OLD  SETTLERS  WHOSE  FAITH  IN  THE  FUTURE  OF 
MONROE  COUNTY 
WAS  UNSHAKEN  BY  THE  MIDNIJHT  CHORUS  OF  THE  WILD  WOLVES,  THE 
STING  OF  THE  WINTER'S  FROST  CREEPING   THROUGH   THE  "CHINK- 
ING '  OF  THE  CABIN  WALLS,  THE  SWEEP  OF  THE  PRAIRIE  FIRES, 
THE   DEPLETED   MEAL-CHEST,  THE  STROKE   OF  THE   PRAIRIE 
RATTLESNAKE,  THE  PALL  OF  THE  "DEEP  SNOW,"  AND  THE 
LONELINESS  OF  THE     PRAIRIE   CABIN— HUSBANDS  AND 
WIVES,     YOUTHS     AND     MAIDENS,     WHOSE     BRAVE, 
TRUE    HEARTS    AND    WILLING    HANDS    DEFIED 
THE   WILDERNESS]  AND    IN    AFTER    YEARS 
MADE    IT    TO     BLOSSOM    AS    THE    ROSE, 
THIS    VOLUME    IS  MOST    SINCERELY    DEDICATED. 


ACKNOWLEDGMENT. 

Before  unfolding  the  contents  of  this  volume,  the  Author 
desires  to  express  his  deep  sense  of  obligation  to  those  who 
have  kindly  aided  in  the  preparation  of  this  work,  and  espe- 
cially to  Rev.  E.  Lf.  Waring,  of  Oskaloosa,  Iowa,  and  A.  R. 
Barnes,  of  Albia — two  gentlemen  pursuing  parallel  paths  in 
life  :  the  former  a  minister  of  the  gospel  and  one  of  the  "  path- 
finders" in  pioneer  church  mission  work;  and  the  latter  a 
veteran  in  both  journalism  and  the  War  of  the  Rebellion. 

To  the  former  the  Author  is  indebted  for  valuable  assist- 
ance in  tracing  the  history  of  the  Methodist  Epi'^copal  Church 
in  Monroe  County.  From  the  latter  the  Author  has  received 
various  forms  of  encouragement  and  valuable  aid,  especially  in 
having  granted  him  access  to  the  historical  data  contained 
in  the  preserved  files  of  the  newspapers  of  the  county  from 
1854  to  the  present  time. 

The  Author. 


INTRODUCTION. 

It  is  with  a  mingling  of  both  pride  for  the  locality  of 
one's  birth  and  a  sincere  desire  to  preserve  the  annals  of 
its  commiinit}'  that  the  writer  has  nndertaken  the  author- 
ship of  this  volume.  It  may  perhaps  be  a  source  of  regret 
that  the  work  has  not  been  performed  by  abler  hands;  and 
especially  by  some  one  who  has  seen  with  his  own  eyes  the 
procession  of  events  as  they  hiive  transpired.  However,  in 
porportiou  to  the  disadvantage  of  being  of  a  later  generation, 
the  writer  has  endeavored,  by  special  pains  and  untiring  ap- 
plication, to  attain  the  same  result  a,s  that  which  would  have 
been  achieved  with  less  difficulty  by  one  whose  life  has 
been  a  part  of  the  history  of  Monroe  County  from  its  earliest 
organization  down  to  the  present  time. 

No  words  of  surprise  need  be  uttered  at  the  mutations 
which  time  has  wrought  within  the  comparatively  brief 
period  of  the  county's  life. 

That  Monroe  County  should,  in  The  course  of  time, 
become  one  of  the  garden-spots  of  earth,  was  a  natural 
sequence.  Already  it  has  been  verilied  in  part;  and  the 
most  sanguine  di'eamer  may  fail  to  see  through  the  mist  of 
the  future  the  full  grandeur  of  that  which  is  yet  to  be. 

The  annals  of  a  community  should  not  be  classed  as 
something  trivial  or  commonplace.  The  history  of  a  county 
ought  to  be  preserved,  in  order  that  some  da}'  it  may  offer 
to  the  historian,  whose  field  is  of  wider  scope,  details  to 
augment  the  sum  total  of  a  State's,  or  even  of  a  nation's 
history. 

Another  reason  why  it  should  be  preserved:  it  sets  up 
<o  posterity  examples  of  exalted  manhood  and  womanhood, 
as  revealed  in  the  lives  ol"  the  i»ioneer  settlers.  They  were 
men  and  women  with  brave  hearts  and  unclouded  hopes. 
Their  hands  were  willing  and  their  faith  was  strong.  They 
"blazed"'  out  the  lines  of  their  habitations  in  the  forests, 
and  broke  the  violet-studded  sod  of  the  prairie,  in  good 
faith  of  a  future  home. 

They  built  their  "claim-pens"  in  the  "New  Purchase," 
not  that  they  intended  to  acquire  the  land  for  purposes  of 
speculati(m  and  trade,  but  that  they  might  mark  the  places 

7 


8  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY.  IOWA. 

of  their  homesteads  as  soon  as  the  Government  placed  the 
land  upon  the  market. 

And  there  was  still  another  "claim-pen"  built  by  the 
early  settler,  which  stood  as  a  monument  of  his  faith  and 
a,s  a  testimony  of  his  intention  to  remain  and  occupy  the 
land:  it  was  a  small  enclosure  built  about  with  fence-rails 
to  keep  out  the  wild  animals  or  the  tread  of  carelciss  feet; 
it  was  the  tabernacle  of  the  young  father's  and  motber's 
parental  loA^e,  set  up  in  the  wilderness,  with  the  wild  rose 
and  the  violets  as  the  vessels  of  the  sanctuary;  it  was  the 
little  grave  of  perhaps  their  first-born  infant.  They  did 
not  carr}^  the  little  rudel}^  constructed  coffin  with  its  precious 
treasure  back  to  their  old  home  for  burial,  but  they  planted 
it  beneath  the  wild  sod  of  the  prairie,  or  in  the  lonely 
forest  glades,  knowing,  as  they  planted  a  wild  rose  foir  a 
head-stone,  that  some  day  a  marble  shaft  would  take  its 
place,  that  some  day  the  tamgled  forest  would  disappear, 
and  that  through  the  embellishing  touch  of  civilized  life  the 
little  tomb  would  be  ranged  with  others  in  avenues  of 
flowers  and  rows  of  marble  and  granite  in  the  village 
cemetery. 

For  accuracy  of  statement,  the  author,  in  many  in- 
stances, has  relied  solely  on  the  memory  of  old  settlers, 
which,  in  a  few  cases,  may  lead  to  slight  error.  He  has 
also  assumed  the  liberty  of  incorporating  a  few  personal 
reminiscences,  anecdotes,  and  personal  allusions,  without 
consulting  the  wishes  of  those  whom  their  narration  would 
involve  in  publicity.  These  reminiscences  he  has  regarded 
as  already  belonging  to  the  public,  and  they  have  been 
assigned  a  place  in  this  volume  merely  to  aftord  the  reader 
any  pleasure  he  may  derive  from  their  perusal. 

The  roster  of  the  Monroe  County  soldiers  wluo  served 
in  the  War  of  the  Rebellion  has  been  compiled  from  the 
Adjutant-General's  Reports,  mainly.  The  Reports  them- 
selves contain  frequent  inaccuracies,,  which  have  been  cor- 
rected in  this  volume,  wherever  the  errors  concerned  the 
Monroe  County  volunteer.  Thie  roster  is  complete;  yet  it 
is  possible  that  a  few  names  Jiave  been,  omitted,  owing  to 
the  fact  that  occasionally  a  volunteer  enlisting  from  Monroe 
County  gave  his  post-office  address  as  in  some  adjoining 
county.  This  frequently  occurred;  and  the  Adjutant-Gen- 
eral's Reports  thus  fix  his  residence  in  some  other  county. 

This  fact  will  account  for  any  omissions  on  the  part  of 
the  author. 


HlfiTORY  OF  .}fONROE  C0UNT7.  TOWA.  9 

At  the  dose  of  tlie  war  many  of  the  uou-commissioiied 
ofticeis  wei-t'  praiuoted  in  rank,  and  their  promotion  was 
never  rejtorted  or  recorded  in  the  ottice  of  the  Adjutant- 
Ueneral.  Owing  to  this  fact,  the  roster  herein  may  not 
in  every  case  give  tlie  promotions,  as  they  were  made  at 
a  late  period,  by  the  (.xovernor  of  the  State. 

In  the  preparation  of  this  volume  the  author  has  done 
the  very  best  his  limited  ability  would  allow,  and  hence 
feels  that  he  need  not  consume  space  by  inserting  apologies. 

Frank  Hickenlooper, 

Alhia,  Ton  a,  September  /,  78.96'. 


History  of  Monroe  County,  Iowa. 


CHAPTER  I. 

General  Remarks. 

If  all  existing-  laud-marks  were  obliterated,  leaving  no 
means  of  identifyinj:^  tlie  surface  of  country  comprising 
Monroe  County,  Iowa,  the  boundary  lines  could  be  relocated 
by  going  down  to  the  mouth  of  the  Arkansas  River,  where 
there  is  an  imaginary  line  running  east  and  west,  known 
as  a  ''base  line.''  Here  the  surveyor  would  find  another 
imaginary  line,  crossing  the  base  line  at  right  angles  and 
extending  north  and  south.  This  latter  line  is  called  a 
meridian  line,  and  that  one  which  the  surveyor  would  have 
to  follow  in  the  search  for  Monroe  County  is  known  as  the 
Fifth  Principal  Meridian. 

Beginning  where  these  two  lines  intersect,  and  ex- 
tending east  and  west,  and  north  and  south,  are  lines  marked 
by  spaces  0  miles  ajiart,  which  are  numbered  1,  2,  3,  etc. 
Six  miles  north  of  the  base  line,  on  the  meridian  line,  town- 
ship 1  is  marked,  and  the  township  adjoining  it  on  the  west 
would  be  described  as  township  1,  range  2,  west.  Proceeding 
northward  until  township  71  is  reached,  here  the  surveyor 
should  turn  his  course  due  w^^st,  and  proceed  a  distance  of 
1(5  townships,  as  indiciited  by  the  sixteenth  range  line  west 
from  the  Fifth  Principal  Meridian.  These  range  lines, 
which  are  those  spacings  on  the  base  line,  are  exactly  G 
miles  apart;  but,  in  order  to  keep  them  equidistant,  their 
course  has  to  be  slightly  rectilied  about  every  40  miles,  else 
the  distance  between  them  would  increase  with  the  curva- 
ture of  the  eai-th.  These  shift ings  of  lines  are  known  as 
''correction  lines."  These  lines  are  24  mileis  apart  north 
of  the  base  line,  and  guide  or  meridian  lines  are  54  miles 
apart.     Meridian  lines  are  astronomical  lines. 

By  following  the  course  indicated,  the  surve^yor  would 
arrive  at  Urbana  Township,  situated  in  the  southeast  corner 
of  Monroe  (.'ounty.  This  tawnsliip  is  therefore  described 
as   township   71,    range   1(>,    west   of   the    Fifth   Principal 

11 


12  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

Meridiain,  and  by  this  system,  all  the  land  in  the  State  of 
Iowa  was  surveyed  by  the  (iovernment. 

In  making  this  Government  sm'vey,  section  lines  were 
also  run  off,  1  mile  apart,  east  and  west,  and  north  and 
south;  and  as  each  Congressiional  township  was  laid  out  6 
miles  square,  there  are  36  sections  in  each  Congressional 
township,  and  (340  acres  in  a  section. 

In  all  cases  where  the  exterior  Imes  of  townships  to 
be  divided  into  sections  and  half-sections  exceeds  or  does 
not  extend  G  miles,  the  excess  or  deficiency  is  specially 
noted,  and  added  to  or  deducted  from  the  western  or  northern 
ranges  of  sections;  hence  fractional  subdivisions  of  sections 
are  found  on  their  northern  or  w^estern  borders. 

To  number  the  sections  in  a  township,  beginning  is 
made  at  the  northeast  corner  section  of  the  township,  and 
the  sections  are  numbered  from  1  to  86,  by  numbering  from 
east  to  west  and  from  west  to  east  alternately.  Thus 
section  6  is  the  northwest  corner  section,  while  section  7 
adjoins  it  on  the  south,  and  section  12  would  be  next  south 
of  section  1 ;  section  13,  likewise,  would  be  the  second  section 
south  of  section  1,  and  so  on. 

Monroe  County  is  in  the  second  tier  of  counties  from  the 
southern  line  of  the  State;  and  is  the  fifth  county  in  the 
tier,  from  the  Mississippi  River.  All  the  counties  in  this 
tier  west  of  Henry  County  have  but  12  Congressional  town- 
sliipseach,having4  townships  in  tiers  running  east  and  west, 
and  3  north  and  south,  ^Monroe,  therefore,  is  lessi  by  4 
townships  than  her  northern  and  southern  neighbors. 

The  townships  of  Monroe  County  lie  in  the  following 
order,  enumerating  them  from  east  to  west,  and  beginning 
at  the  southeast  corner  of  the  county:  Urbana,  Monroe, 
Franklin,  and  Jackson;  Mantua,  Troy,  Guilford,  and  Wayne; 
Pleasant,  liluff"  Creek,  Uiiion,  and  Cedar. 

Albia,  the  county  seat,  is  situated  in  the  northern  half 
of  section  22. 

Monroe  Count}'  is  from  500  to  TOO  feet  above  the  level 
of  the  sea,  and  varies  somewhat,  in  both  geological  aiTange- 
ment  and  exterior  character.  Wliile  its  drift  formation  is 
not  different  from  that  of  its  neighboring  counties,the  south- 
western ])ortion  of  Monroe  County  is  probably  outside  of 
the  region  of  the  great  coal-producing  i»ortion  of  the  lower 
coal  measure  of  the  State.  AVhile  this  fact  has  not  hitherto 
been  positively  admitted   b}'  geologists,  investigations  of 


HTSTORl  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA.  13 

recent  years  prove  preitj  conclusively  that  the  townships 
of  Jackson  and  Franklin  lie  west  of  tiie  western  border  of 
the  lower  coal-bearinj;  district,  and  it  is  (luite  probable  that 
the  western  portion  of  Monroe  Township  also  extends 
beyond  these  limits,  as  the  lower  coal-bed  apparently  dis- 
appears at  the  town  of  Moravia. 

The  southwestern  portion  of  the  county  is  a  plateau, 
which  seems  to  blend  abruptly  into  the  geological  structure 
of  the  great  sauthwestern  water-shed.  Its  drift  deposits 
are  of  greater  thickness  than  those  in  eastern  Iowa  aiid 
other  localities  within  the  district  of  the  Des  Moines  basin. 

The  lower  part  of  Jackson  and  Franklin  Townships  are 
drained  b}-  the  tributaries  of  the  Chariton  River,  which 
flows  into  the  Missouri  River.  The  northern  and  middle 
portions  are  drained  by  Cedar  Creek,  which  empties  into  the 
Des  Moines  River. 

While  it  is  true  that  the  lower  coal-beds  extend  farther 
westward,  along  Cedar  Creek,  to  the  north  of  this  locality, 
it  is  barely  possible  that  the  coal  worked  on  Cedar  Creek  and 
White-breast  may  lie  at  a  great  dei)th  beneath  a  vast  accumu- 
lation of  drift.  If  it  does,  it  ])robably  lies  at  a  depth  of  from 
300  to  400  feet,  as  a  drilling  was  made  at  Moravia  to  a  depth 
of  oOO  feet  without  finding  any  trace  of  the  lower  coal-bed. 

The  only  fact  to  encourage  this  conjecture  is  that  the 
Cedar  basin  seems  to  have  cut  itself  to  a  great  depth  in 
this  drift  deposit. 

^lonroeandT'rbana Townships  occupy  a  lower  elevation, 
and  are  drained  by  the  headwaters  of  Soap  and  Avery 
creeks. 

Little  or  no  prospecting  for  coal  has  ever  been  made  in 
Urbana  Township,  yet  it  is  quite  probable  that  in  addition 
to  the  upper  coal-bed.  which  cro])s  out  everywhere  along 
Avery  Creek',  and  which  is  about  '>  feet  in  thickness,  with  an 
interval  of  fire-clay  of  about  8  inche^s  in  the  center,  the 
locality  is  underlaid  by  a  rich  deposit  of  the  lower  coal, 
which  in  Monroe  County  reaches  a  thickness  of  8  feet  in 
some  localities. 

As  the  upper  porti(m  of  ^[onroe  Township,  particularly 
a  few  miles  north  of  Foster,  is  on  rising  ground,  no  special 
effort  has  yet  been  made  to  locare  the  coal,  which  doubtless 
lies  at  a  depth  of  about  .'100  feet;  and  as  Troy  Township 
rises  still  higher,  prospectors  have  not  yet  been  tempted  to 
make  much  search  in  tliis  township,  in  the  vicinity  of  Albia. 


14  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY.  IOWA. 

By  referring  to  a  profile  of  the  C,  B.  &  Q,  Railroad  survey 
it  will  be  seen  that  Albia  is  situated  on  a  high  knoll  or 
eminence,  and  whether  the  coal  strata  pass  through  this 
rise,  unbroken,  is  a  matter  for  conjecture. 

Not  until  the  Grovernment  had  surveyed  Iowa  into  Con- 
gressional townships  were  the  counties  established  and 
surveyed.  Counties  were  created  by  legislative  acts  of  the 
Territorial  Council  and  General  Assembly,  which  later  took 
the  place  of  the  Council  when  the  State  was  admitted  into  the 
Union.  The  State  Constitution  provides  that  in  organizing 
a  county  it  shall  be  composed  of  not  less  than  12  Congres- 
sional townships. 

As  all  surveys  are  subject  to  slight  inaccuracies,  later 
surv^eys  do  not  exactly  conform  to  the  original  Government 
isurvey.  For  instance,  a  county  surveyor,  beginning  to 
survey  a  township,  starts  at  the  southeast  section  and  runs 
north.  The  section  lines  which  the  Government  has  estab- 
lished he  adopts  as  his  own  survey — i.  c,  he  makes  his  own 
measurements  to  conform  to  them ;  but  when  he  gets  to  the 
northern  line  of  the  township,  the  variation  in  measure- 
ments of  the  two  surveys  result  in  what  are  known  as 
''fractional  tracts,"  and  as  the  surveyor  runs  westward  after 
reaching  the  north  line,  these  same  variations  occur  on  the 
west  line  of  a  section.  Thus  fractional  tracts  are  found  on 
the  north  and  west  lines  of  townships,  and  what  was  in- 
tended for  a  forty-acre  tract  by  the  first  survey  becomes  by 
the  second  either  more  or  less.  Deeds  of  transfer  are  for 
this  reason  worded  thus,  in  speaking  of  the  amount  to  be 
transferred:  "More  or  less,  according  to  the  United  States 
survey  of  the  same." 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY.  70WA.  15 


CHAPTER  U. 

Speculatioti. 

While  it  is  not  within  the  pi'oviuce  of  the  historian  to 
record  history  which  lias  not  yet  transpired,  the  writer  can- 
not refrain  from  a  Oiisual  introspection  concerning  the 
destiny  of  Monroe  County. 

All  terrestrial  things  have  an  end,  as  well  as  a  begin- 
ning; and  in  the  somewhat  vague  theme  of  this  chapter,  one 
positive  conclusion  may  be  adduced — viz.,  that  Monroe 
County  will  some  day  come  to  an  end.  Whether  this  end 
is  brought  about  by  fire  and  sword;  by  the  peaceful  re- 
adjustment of  political  boundaries;  by  the  whisk  of  the  tail 
of  some  malicious  comet;  or  by  the  inevitable  ''crack  of 
doom" — no  one  can  say. 

The  past  affords  no  basis  upon  which  to  even  form  a 
conjecture  as  to  the  ultimate  fate  awaiting  the  subdivisions 
of  the  United  States,  or  even  of  the  Republic  itself.  In  the 
present  age  the  spread  of  human  intelligence  has  elevated 
the  standard  of  justice  so  high  that  war  and  invasion  can 
scarcely  be  reckoned  as  an  agent  effecting  the  downfall  of  an 
enlightened  state,  or,  more  properly  speaking,  of  its  trans- 
formation into  some  other  politiciil  division. 

There  is  a  probability  that  at  some  distant  day  town- 
ships will  enlarge  their  functions  until  their  political 
organization  shall  be  not  very  different  from  that  of  the 
boroughs  or  townships  of  England  and  other  densely  popu- 
lated regions,  but  this  would  not  affect  the  existence  of 
counties.  No  reason  can  be  conceived,  at  present,  why  the 
boundaries  of  the  several  States  should  be  disturbed  or 
obliterated,  and  new  divisions  of  the  domain  substituted, 
thus  rcHlistricting  the  land  into  smaller  or  greater  sub- 
divisions. 

County  seats,  located  as  they  usually  are,  in  or  near 
the  center  of  counties,  will  have  a  period  of  life  coexistent 
with  that  of  the  counties  in  which  they  are  situated.  Their 
growth  will  be  measured  by  the  resources  of  their  respective 
counties,  and  not  by  industrial  advantages  possessed  by 
them  over  less  favored  neighbors.  The  great  cities  of  the 
country  will  become  fewer  in  number,  until, by  that  universal 


16  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY.  TCTWA. 

law  of  natural  selection  which  adds  to  the  favored,  to  the 
extinction  of  the  weaker,  the  smaller  cities  of  the  continent 
will  arrive  at  a  stand-still  or  tend  to  decay,  while  tlie  greater 
will  add  to  their  size,  wealth,  and  grandeur.  It  is  the  same 
law  which  enables  the  giant  oak  of  the  forest  to  lift  its  head 
above  a  grove  of  tliousands  of  saplings,  when  all  had 
apparentl}^  equal  advantages  of  growth. 

There  is  a.  system  of  modern  philosoph}'  which  asserts 
that  all  physical  manifestations  operate  in  cycles.  If  tliis 
be  true,  civilization,  too,  in  shifting  from  continent  to  conti- 
nent, may  some  day  complete  the  cycle.  The  stork  and  the 
bittern  then  will  perch  upon  the  Arc  de  Triomphe,  or  the 
wild  jackal  howl  through  the  valley  of  the  Hudson  or 
scamper  through  the  deserted  thoroughfares  of  New  York. 
The  worn-out  and  rocky  wastes,  where  now  only  broken 
columns  and  fragments  of  chiseled  friezes,  fagades,  and 
domes  mark  the  burial-places  of  proud  empires,  may  some 
day  be  awakened  by  the  touch  of  the  returning  rod  of  empire. 

The  indolent  Arab,  sitting  cross-legged  beneath  the 
shade  of  a  giant  cactus,  will  watch  some  sturdy  race  of 
foreigners  gather  up  the  fragments  of  tiles  and  bricks  and 
stones,  cart  them  away,  and  with  plowshare  turn  under  a 
new  growth  "of  soil.  By  fertilization  and  culture  the  land 
will  again  produce,  and  a  new  race  will  rebuild  cities  and 
make  railroads,  cut  canals,  and  cultivate  soil  reenriched  by 
the  mold  of  desolation  and  by  the  sweep  of  thie  soil-laden 
winds  of  the  wilderness. 

"Cleopatra's  Needle,"  overthrown  and  submerged  in 
the  soil  of  Manhattan  Island,  may  be  exhumed  in  some  far- 
distant  age,  and  carried  back  to  the  valle}'  of  the  Nile  from 
whence  it  came. 

A  broken  shaft,  o^  er  which  the  sands  of  the  Potomac 
River  have  drifted  for  thousands  of  years,  may  tell  the 
future  archeologist  of  a  Washington ;  or  the  washing  away 
of  the  shore-line  of  Lake  Michigan  may,  ere  its  waters  cease 
to  roll,  reveal  a  colossal  horse  and  rider,  which  to-day  stands 
in  Lincoln;  Park  to  perpetuate  the  memory  of  Grrant. 

What  destroying  force,  then,  shall  accomplish  this 
desolation?  Shall  it  be  the  tooth  of  time,  alone,  or  the 
canker  of  a  worn -out,  polluted,  and  vicious  race? 

In  the  United  States  ci\  ilization  may  not  reach  its  zenith 
for  thousands  of  years.  Then  will  begin  the  equally  slow 
process  of  decay;  the  contest  for  supremacy  will  begin. 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY.  IOWA.  17 

rpoii  the  theory  of  seloction,  the  stronp:  will  oppress  and 
enslave  the  weak;  those  avIio  have  accumulated  wealth  will 
I>ass  from  luxury  tO'  indolence  and  vice;  Government  will 
become  tainted  with  crime  and  intrijiue;  the  population 
will  be  so  great  that  the  soil  will  not  sustain  it;  the  people 
will  no  lonoer  be  self-sui»partin<j;'  by  legitimate  industry,  and 
the  stronger  will  prey  upon  tin?  weaker;  a  feudal  condition 
will  assert  itself,  and  this  population  will  dwindle  away  or 
shift  to  other  zones. 

Then  it  will  be  that  States  will  be  broken  up  or  subjected 
to  principalitit^  of  some  despotic  form.  Counties  will  loise 
their  identity,  and  thus  Monroe  County,  with  her  once  proud 
capital,  shall  have  run  her  race.  Away  down  beneath  the 
surface,  submerged  like  the  relics  of  proud  Ilium,  some  one 
\\\U  iind  a  corner-stone  of  some  stately  palace — presumably 
the  i»arliamentary  palace  of  the  Board  of  Supervisors^ — and, 
digging  beneath  it,  he  will  find  a  sealed  receptacle  contain- 
ing coins  bejiring  the  undefinable  inscriptions,  ""E  Plurihus 
['uum;^  ''United  States  of  America,"  etc.  He  will  also  find 
valuable  parchments,  and,  among  them,  a  copy  of  this  book. 
Then  some  archeologist  will  turn  up  W'itli  a.  "Rosetta  Stone," 
and  by  its  aid  translate  the  documents,  and  thus  peri)etuate 
the  history  of  Monroe  County  and  the  deeds  of  her  illustrious 
citizens. 


18  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 


CHAPTER  HI. 

Organization. 

Shortly  after  that  vast  southwestern  territory  known 
as  the  Louisiana  Purchase  had  been  acquired  by  the  United 
States,  from  France,  Congress,  by  an  act  of  1804,  divided 
this  new  possession  into  two  bodies.  That  lying  below  the 
thirty-third  parallel  of  north  latitude  was  called  the  Terri- 
tory of  Orleans;  and  the  remaining  portion  was  known  as 
the  District  of  Louisiana.  This  latter,  f  oir  political  purposes, 
was  engrafted  on  to  Indiana  Territory. 

In  1805  the  District  of  Louisiana  was  merged  into  a 
Territory  of  its  own.  In  1807  another  subdivision  was  made, 
and  the  Territory  of  Iowa  was  created,  which  was  at  first 
attached  to  the  Territory  of  Illinois,  and  later,  in  1812,  to 
Missouri  Territory. 

When  Missouri  was  admitted  as  a  State,  in  1821,  Iowa 
was  again  an  outcast,  until  1834,  when  she  clung  to  the  skirts 
of  Michigan  Territory.  By  this  time  all  the  region  west 
of  the  Mississippi  and  north  of  the  north  line  of  Missouri 
had  been  pnrcha;sed  from  the  Sac  and  Fox  Indians,  and 
comprised  Michigan  Territory.  It  was  usually  referred  to 
by  the  people  of  Illinois  and  other  Eastern  States  as  ''The 
Purchase." 

In  1836  the  Territorj^  of  Wisconsin  was  created  by  an 
act  of  Congress,  and  Iowa  Territory  was  again  placed  in  the 
keeping  of  a  new  foster-parent,  by  being  attached  to  Wis- 
consin. In  1838  Iowa  Territory  was  given  a  separate 
Territorial  government,  but  it  still  included  a  part  of  Wis- 
consin, west  of  the  Mississippi  River. 

In  1846,  after  considerable  wrangling  over  the  boundary 
question  by  the  people  of  the  Territory,  they  finally  voted 
in  favor  of  going  into  the  Union  as  a  sovereign  State,  and 
accordingly  Iowa  was  admitted  December  28,  1846. 

Several  yeai's  prior  to  the  admission  of  Iowa  as  a  State, 
the  Territorial  Council  had  passed  an  act  to  organize  new 
counties,  as  will  be  seen  in  Chapter  34  of  the  Revised 
Statutes  of  Iowa,  1843: 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY.  IOWA.  19 

"An  Act  to  establish  new  counties  and  define  their  bound- 
aries, in  the  hite  cession  from  the  Sac  and  Fox  Indians, 
and  for  other  purposes. 

"Sec,  4,  The  followinfj  boundaries  shall  constitute  a 
new  county,  to  be  called  Kishkekosh,  to-wit:  Beginning  ait 
the  northwest  corner  of  Wapello  County;  thence  west  on 
to^\'ii:ship  line  dividing  townshij^s  78  and  74,  to  range  20, 
west;  thence  south  on  said  line  to  the  northwest  corner  of 
Appanoose  County;  thence  on  the  township  line  dividing 
townships  70  and  71;  thence  east  to  the  southwest  comer 
of  Wapello  County;  tlience  north  to  the  place  of  beginning; 
which  county,  with  Wapello  and  the  territory  lying  west, 
shall  be  attached  to  Jefferson  County  for  judicial,  revenue, 
and  election  purposes." 

This  same  bill  provided  for  the  creation  of  ten  other 
counties,  and  also  made  provision  for  their  survey  as  soon 
as  the  Indian  treaty  could  be  ratified. 

The  first  measure  to  conserve  the  peace  in  these  newly 
organized  counties  was  the  appointment,  by  the  Governor, 
of  justices  of  the  peace  for  the  various  precincts  throughout 
the  counties  so  created. 

On  the  1st  of  May.  184.8.  the  Indian  title  became  extinct, 
and  immediately  followed  an  influx  of  sturdy  pioneers,  a 
further  account  of  whose  incursion  and  pioneer  life  will  be 
found  elsewhere  in  this  volume. 

The  name  Kishkekosh  seemed  harsh  to  the  ears  of  the 
white  settlers,  and  the  name  was  subsequently  changed  to 
that  of  Monroe  County. 

The  name  Kishkekosh  was  given  to  the  county  in  honor 
of  a  minor  chief  of  the  Sac  and  Fox  band,  and  the  name,  in 
the  Indian  tongue,  is  said  to  mean  "a  savage  biter." 

Kishkekosh  was  a  member  of  Black  Hawk's  suite,  who 
accompanied  that  redoubtable  chieftain,  after  his  capture, 
in  his  tour  throughout  the  East,  and  by  contact  with  civiliza- 
tion rapidly  learned  the  manners  and  customs  of  the  white 
race.  It  is  said  that,  in  a  superficial  way  at  least,  he 
assumed  the  graces  of  a  Chestei-field,  and  grew  particularly 
gallant  towards  the  squaws  of  his  tribe,  when  he  returned 
to  his  people  to  inculcate  among  them  the  customs  of  the 
whites.  In  sitting  down  to  a  meal,  he  would  first  assist  the 
dusky  lady  gue.sts  to  the  food;  and  he  can-ied  this  spirit  of 
gallantry  so  far  as  to  attempt  to  correct  the  state  of  slavery 
to  which  the  squaws  were  subjected  by  their  oppressive 
lords,  by  enjoining  the  latter  to  do  the  drudgerv  themselves. 


20  HISTOIiy  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

It  is  said  that  he  entered  into  this  reform  with  so  much 
zeal  that  he  actually  set  the  example  himself. 

Black  Hawk  never  made  his  predator}^  incursions  as 
far  west  as  Monroe  County,  when  there  was  any  white  prey 
within  its  borders.  He  died  in  1837,  at  lowaville.  Yet  it 
is  quite  probable  that  many  a  tierce  encounter  has  been 
waged  on  Monroe  County  soil  between  the  Sacs  and  Foxes 
of  eastern  Iowa  and  western  Illiuois  and  the  lowas,  Potta- 
wattamies,  and  other  less  powerful  tribes  west  of  the 
Mississippi  River. 

The  very  name  of  Black  Hawk  was  sufficient  to  strike 
terror  into  the  hearts  of  the  pioneer  settlers  of  eastern  Iowa, 
Illinois,  and  Indiana. 

Most  writers,  describing  the  personal  appearance  of 
Black  Hawk,  represent  liim  as  the  very  embodiment  of  all 
that  is  fiendish  and  terrible;  but  Joseph  Hoskinson,  one  of 
the  pioneer  settlers  of  Iowa,  who  died  at  his  home  in  Monroe 
County  a  few  ,years  ago,  and  who  was  present  at  the  treaty 
between  the  Government  and  the  Sacs  and  Foxes,  where 
Burlington  now  stands,  informed  the  writer  that  Black 
Hawk  was  the  liandsomeist  Indian  he  ever  saw.  He  stood 
near  him  at  the  treatj^  and  admired  the  imperial  bearing  of 
the  chief. 

While  he  showed  the  treachery  and  cunning  of  a  fiend — 
like  Red  Jacket,  he  would  "not  bend  the  knee."  No 
imperial  crown  ever  sat  upon  a  prouder  head,  and  no  mon- 
arch ever  merited  a  coronet  of  higher  token  of  fidelity  to  his 
people  than  Black  Hawk.  How  strange  it  is  that  the  liand 
of  fiction  has  never  woven  about  the  harsh  outlines  of  his 
memory  the  softening  gauze  of  sentiment  and  romance! 

Until  the  13th  of  February,  184t,  all  the  territory  west 
of  Wapello  County,  including  Kishkekosh  County,  was 
attached  to  Wapello  County  for  election  and  judicial  pur- 
poses, and  the  first  court  whose  jurisdiction  included  Kish- 
keko.sh  County  was  held  in  Ottumwa  in  September,  1844; 
but  the  character  of  the  litigation  was  mainly  disputes  over 
claims  to  land. 

At  that  time,  the  homestead  laws  were  different  from 
those  of  the  present  day,  and  were  also  more  lax  in  tlieir 
provisions.  Every  person  entitled  to  the  homestead  privi- 
lege was  allowed  a  half-section  of  land — 100  acres  in  prairie 
and  IGO  acres  of  timber.  The  earliest  settlers  took  their 
claims  before  the  land  was  placed  upon  the  market  for  home- 
steading,  and  for  several  years  held  them  by  virtue  of  "squat- 


HISTORY  OB'  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA.  21 

ter  sovereignty,"  iiitwidiiig  to  enter  the  land  when  placed 
upon  the  maiket.  When  t\ut  laud  was  linally  opened  for 
tiling,  many  of  the  settlers  did  not  have  the  funds  for  making 
the  homestead  entry,  but  eoiitinueti  to  hold  tlieir  claims. 
There  was  always  someone  in  the  country  who  had  a  little 
spare  money  with  which  to  contest  claims  occupied  by  the 
"squatter."  While  he  had  this  lawful  right,  he  seldom  had 
the  efl'rontery  to  exercise  it. 

Necessity,  the  mother  of  invention,  devised  a  means  of 
protectinj^  the  "squatter's"  interests.  Judicial  proceedings 
were  expeaisive,  and,  eve^n  if  resorted  to,  would  have  afforded 
no  relief  to  the  "squatter."  The  "Club  law"  was  accordingly 
instituted  by  the  settlers  to  protect  themselves  and  their 
neighbors  from  the  "claim-jumper."  While  it  was  not  in 
strict  accord  with  the  laws  of  the  land  or  the  equity  of 
indiscriminating  justice,  the  great  body  of  the  people,  in 
whose  interests  all  written  laws  should  be  framed  as  against 
the  opposing  few,  construed  it  as  "loa-  popidi,  vox  Dei" — 
"Tlie  voice  of  the  people  is  the  voice  of  God." 

Some  brave  pioneer  settler  would  select  a  claim,  but, 
being  unable  to  make  a  homestead  filing  on  it  at  once, 
would  erect  a  "claim-pen" — i.  c,  a  log-  pen  sixteen  feet  square 
and  four  rounds  hig-h;  this  would  hold  his  claim  for  six 
months,  at  the  end  of  which  time  it  was  presumed  he  w  ould 
have  completed  a  cabin.  Frequently,  however,  owing  to 
sickness  or  other  unavoidable  cause  of  delay,  he  failed  to 
erect  a  domicile  or  make  the  necessary  improvements  on  his 
claim.  Then  would  the  "claim-jumper"  attempt  to  take 
possession  by  moving  on  to  the  land  or  into  the  vacant  domi- 
cile, in  case  the  "scjuatter"  had  temporarily  abandoned  it. 
The  captain  of  the  "Club"  was  at  once  notified,  and  the  entire 
population — for  everybody  belonged  to  the  "Club" — turned 
out,  iind,  marching  to  the  usurix^r's  stronghold,  would  force 
him  to  depai't.  Sometimes  the  "jumper"  became  defiant, 
and  was  roughly  handled  by  the  "Club,"  but  usually  he 
quietly  acquiesced  in  their  verdict,  and  vacated  without 
protest. 

NVhile  at  this  day  the  "(Jlub  law"  may  seem  somewhat 
revolutionary,  yet  no  rule  for  the  regulation  of  society  has 
ever  been  placed  in  the  statutes  by  a  higher  tribunal  than 
that  of  the  sturdy  pioneers  of  Monroe  and  other  counties  in 
their  struggles  in  the  wilderness  to  support  and  provide  a 
home  for  themselves,  their  wives,  and  their  little  ones. 

The  first  election  held  in  Kishkekosh  County  took  place 


22  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  TOW  A. 

at  tlie  house  of  W.  G.  Clark  in  tlie  autumn  of  1844;  and  in 
the  spring  of  1845  the  precinct  was  duly  organized  into  an 
independent  county  by  an  act  of  the  Council  and  House  of 
RepresentatiA^es  of  the  Territory  of  Iowa,  The  act  also 
provided  for  the  location  of  a  county  seat,  and  following  is 
the  text  of  the  bill: 

"An  Act  to  organize  the  County  of  Kishkekosh  and  to 
provide  for  the  location  of  the  seat  of  justice  thereof. 
"Section  1.  Be  it  enacted  by  the  Council  and  House  of 
Representatives  of  the  Territory  of  Iowa,  That  the  county 
of  Kishkekosh  be,  and  the  same  is  hereby,  organized  from 
and  after  the  first  day  of  July  next;  and  that  the  inhabitants 
of  said  county  shall  be  entitled  to  all  the  privileges  to  which 
by  law  the  inhabitants  of  other  organized  counties  of  this 
Territory  are  entitled,  and  the  said  county  shall  constitute 
a  part  of  the  First  Judicial  District  of  this  Territory. 

"Section  2.  That,  for  the  purpoise  of  organizing  said 
county,  it  is  hereby  made  the  duty  of  the  Clerk  of  the 
District  Court  of  said  county,  and  in  case  there  should  be 
no  such  Clerk  appointed  and  qualified,  or  for  any  cause  such 
oflftce  should  become  vacant  on  or  before  the  tenth  day  of 
July  next,  then  it  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  Sheriff  of  Wapello 
County  to  proceed  immediately  after  the  tenth  day  of  July 
to  order  an  election  in  said  county  of  Kishkekosh  for  the 
purpose  of  electing  three  County  Commissioners,  one  Judge 
of  Probate,  one  County  Treasurer,  one  Clerk  of  the  Board  of 
County  Commissioners,  one  Surveyor,  one  County  Assessor, 
one  Sheriff,  one  Coroner,  one  County  Recorder,  and  such 
number  of  Justices  of  the  Peace  and  Constables  as  may  be 
directed  by  the  officer  ordering  such  election;  the  officer 
having  due  regard  for  the  conveniences  of  the  people;  which 
election  shall  be  on  the  first  Monday  in  the  month  of  August 
next.  And  that  the  officer  ordering  such  election  shall 
appoint  as  many  places  for  holding  elections  in  said  county 
as  the  conveniences  of  the  people  may  require,  and  shall 
appoint  three  Judges  of  Election  for  each  place  of  holding 
elections  in  said  county,  and  issue  tickets  to  said  Judges  for 
their  appointment; and  the  officer  ordering  said  election  shall 
give  at  least  fifteen  days'  notice  of  the  time  and  place  of 
holding  said  election,  by  at  least  three  printed  or  written 
advertisements,  which  shall  be  posted  up  at  three  or  more  of 
the  most  public  places  in  the  neighborhood  where  each  of 
the  polls  shall  be  opened  as  aforesaid. 


(i  UNIVERSITY  J) 

HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY.  TOWA.  23 

"Section  3.  That  the  officer  oideiiiig  the  election  aioi"e- 
said  shall.receive  and  canvass  the  polls  and  grant  certificates 
to  the  persons  selected  to  fill  the  several  offices  mentioned 
in  tliis  Act,  and  in  all  cases  not  provided  for  by  this  Act, 
The  officer  ordering  said  election  shall  perfonn  the  duties 
of  a  Clerk  of  the  Board  of  County  Oommissioners  until  there 
shall  be  a  Clerk  of  the  Board  of  County  ^Commissioners 
elected  and  qualified  for  said  couuty  under  the  provisions  of 
this  Act. 

"Section  4.  Said  election  shall,  in  all  cases  not  pro- 
vided for  by  this  Act,  be  conducted  according  to  the  laws 
of  this  TeiTitorj'  regulating  general  elections. 

"Section  5.  The  officers  elected  under  the  provisions 
of  this  Act  shall  hold  their  offices  until  the  next  general 
election,  and  until  their  successors  are  elected  and  qualified. 

"Section  (>.  The  officer  ordering  the  election  in  said 
county  shall  return  all  books  and  papers  wliich  may  come 
into  his  hands  by  virtue  of  tliis  Act  to  the  Clerk  of  tlie  Board 
of  County  Commissioners  of  said  county,  forthwith,  after 
said  Clerk  shall  be  elected  and  qualified, 

"Section  7.  That  the  officer  conducting  said  election 
shall  be  allowed  the  same  fees  for  services  rendered  by 
him,  under  the  provisions  of  this  Act,  that  are  allowed  by 
law  for  similar  services  performed  by  tlie  Slieriff  in  similar 
cases. 

"Section  8.  That  the  Clerk  of  the  District  Court  of 
said  county  of  Kishkekosh  may  be  appointed  by  the  Judge 
of  said  court,  and  qualified  at  any  time  after  tlie  passage  of 
this  Act;  but  shall  not  enter  upon  the  discharge  of  the 
duties  of  ssiid  office  prior  to  the  1st  day  of  July  next. 

"Section  0.  TluU  all  actions  at  law  in  the  District  Court 
for  the  County  of  Wapello,  commencing  prior  to  the  orgaji- 
ization  of  the  said  county  of  Kishkekosh,  when  the  parties 
or  either  of  them  reside  in  said  county  of  KishkekosJi, 
shall  be  prosecuted  to  final  judgment,  order,  or  decree,  as 
freely  and  effectually  as  if  this  Act  had  not  been  passed. 

"Section  10.  That  it  shall  be  the  duty  of  all  Justices 
of  the  Peace  residing  within  said  county  to  return  all  books 
and  papers  in  their  liands,  aj)pertaining  to  said  office,  to  the 
nearest  Justice  of  the  Peace  which  may  be  elected  and 
qualified  for  said  county  under  the  ])ro visions  of  this  Act. 
And  all  suits  at  law  or  any  official  business  which  may  be  in 
the  hands  of  such  Justice  of  the  Peace,  and  unfinished,  shall 


24  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY.  IOWA. 

be  completed  or  prosecuted  to  final  judgiuent  by  the  Justices 
of  the  i*eace  to  whom  such  business  or  papers,  may  have 
been  returned,  as  aforesaid. 

"Section  11.  That  the  County  Assessor  elected  under 
the  provisions  of  this  Act,  for  said  county,  shall  assess  the 
county  and  in  the  same  manner  and  be  under  the  same 
obligations  and  liabilities  as  now  are  or  may  hereafter  be 
provided  by  law,  in  relation  to  Township  Assessors. 

"Section  12.  That  James  A.  Galliher,  of  the  county  of 
Jefferson,  E.  S.  Kand,  of  the  county  of  Van  Buren,  and 
Israel  Kister,  of  the  county  of  Davis,  be,  and  they  are  hereby, 
appointed  Commissioners;  or  any  two  of  them  shall  meet 
at  the  house  of  W.  G,  Clark,  Esquire,  in  said  county,  on  the 
first  day  of  July  next,  or  at  any  other  such  time  within  a 
month  thereafter  as  a  majority  of  said  Commissioners  may 
agree  upon,  in  pursuance  of  their  duties  under  this  Act. 

"Section  13.  Said  Commisisioners  shall  first  take  and 
subscribe  the  following  oatli,  to-wit:  'We  do  solemnly 
swear  (or  affirm)  that  we  (or  either  of  us)  have  no  personal 
interest,  either  directly  or  indii-ectl^^  in  the  location  of  the 
seat  of  justice  in  the  county  of  Kishkekosh,  and  that  we  will 
faithfully  and  impartially  examine  the  situation  of  said 
county,  taking  into  consideration  the  future  as  well  as  the 
present  population;  also  to  pay  strict  regard  to  the  geograph- 
ical center  of  said  county  and  locate  the  seat  of  justice  as 
near  the  center  as  an  eligible  situation  can  be  obtained;' 
which  oath  shall  be  administered  by  the  Clerk  of  the  Dis- 
trict Court  or  Justice  of  the  Peace  of  the  county  of  Kishke- 
kosh; and  the  officer  administering  the  same  slia.ll  certify 
and  file  the  same  in  the  office  of  the  Clerk  of  the  Board  of 
County  C/Omniissionersi  of  said  county,  whese  duty  it  shall 
be  to  receive  the  same, 

"Section  14,  Said  Commissioners,  when  met  and  quali- 
fied under  the  provisions  of  this  Act,  shall  proceed  to  locate 
the  seat  of  justice  of  said  county;  and  as  soon  as  the}'  shall 
liave  come  to  a  determination,  they  shall  commit  to  writing 
the  place  so  selected,  with  such  name  as  they  may  see 
proper,  and  a  i)articular  description  thereof,  signed  by  the 
said  Commission  and  filed  with  the  Clerk  of  the  Board  of 
County  Commissioners  in  which  such  seat  of  justice  is 
located,  whose  duty  it  shall  be  to  record  the  same  and 
forever  keep  it  on  file  in  his  office,  and  the  place  thus 
designated  shall  be  the  seat  of  justice  of  said  county. 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  TOW  A.  25 

''Section  15.  Said  Coiuiiiissionei's  shall  each  receive  the 
sum  of  two  dollars  per  day,  while  necessarily  employed  in 
the  duties  enjoined  on  them  by  this  Act,  which  shall  be 
paid  b}'  the  county,  out  of  the  first  fund  arising  out  of  the 
Side  of  town  lots  in  the  said  seat  of  justice. 

"Section  16.  That  the  territory  west  of  Siiid  county  be, 
and  the  same  is  hereby,  attached  to  the  county  of  Kishke- 
kosh  for  election,  revenue,  and  judicial  purposes. 

"Section  17.  The  judge  of  the  First  Judicial  District 
may  appoint  such  time  for  holding  coui-t  in  said  county  as 
he  may  dt^m  proper  and  convenient, 

"Section  18.  This  Act  to  take  effect  and  to  be  in.  force 
from  and  after  its  passage. 

"Approved  June  11,  1815." 

On  the  fifth  day  of  August,  1845,  the  committee  named 
to  select  the  location  for  a  county  seat  chose  the  spot  where 
Albia  now  stands,  and  nanunl  the  i)lace  Princeton. 

At  the  same  time  an  election  was  held  throughout  the 
count}-  to  elect  the  various  county  officers,  as  provided  in 
the  bill.  Wareham  G.  Clark  was  elected  Probate  Judge; 
James  Hilton,  Clerk  of  the  District  Court;  Jeremiah  ^Miller, 
Clerk  of  the  Board  of  County  Commissioners;  T.  Templeton, 
Treasurer;  John  Clark.  Sheriff;  and  Joseph  McMullen, 
Moses  II.  Clark,  and  J.  S.  P.radley  for  County  Commissioners. 

John  Massey,  who  still  resides  on  his  farm  a  couple  of 
miles  south  of  Albia,  surveyed  the  county  seat  in  the  summer 
of  1845.  When  the  survey  was  made,  it  was  found  that  one 
John  Stephenson  owned  a  part  of  the  site  selected  by  tiie 
committee,  but,  after  some  wrangling  over  the  matter,  the 
dispute  was  finally  settled  by  arbitialion. 

In  the  original  survey  of  Princeton,  the  streets  were 
run  due  east  and  west,  and  north  and  south.  Each  street 
was  made  sixty  feet  wide,  and  each  block  contained  eight 
lots,  excerpt  the  four  blocks  fronting  on  the  public  square, 
whose  lots  were  but  half  the  size  of  the  others.  This  original 
plat  of  the  town  has  long  since  been  lost,  with  the  record 
i»0(>k  in  which  it  was  plac(Ml.  and  it  is  not  definitely  known 
whether  the  ]>lat  was  ever  r«H-orde<]. 

Scarcely  had  Princet(>n  been  selected  as  the  county 
seat  when  slie  found  heis"]f  confronted  by  a  rival.  A  post- 
office  liad  been  establisiied  at  Clarksville  in  January,  184G, 
with  Levi  Dungau  OiS  postmaster.      While  Princeton  was 


26  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

but  a  hamlet,  Clarksville  was  no'  larger,  and  the  claims 
which  the  latter  presented  for  oonsideration  were  embodied 
in  the  following: 

''PETITION. 

"To  the  Honorable  Council  and  House  of  Representatives  of 
the  Territory  of  Iowa: 

"Your  petitioners,  citizens  of  Kishkekosh  County,  Iowa, 
ask  of  your  honorable  body  the  adoption  of  a  bill  referring 
the  re-location  of  the  seat  of  justice  of  the  county  to  the 
people,  at  the  coming  election  in  April,  1846. 

"Your  petitioners  ask  of  your  hororable  body  that  the 
citizens  of  said  county  may  be  privileged  to  vote  for  Prince- 
ton or  Clarksville  as  the  future  seat  of  justice  of  said 
county. 

"Your  petitioners  would  respectfully  represent  tO'  your 
honorable  body  that  the  location  of  the  seat  of  justice  of 
said  county  by  Commissioners  appointed  by  your  honorable 
body  hasi  resulted  much  to  the  dissatisfaction  of  a  large 
majority  of  the  inhabitants  of  said  county. 

"Your  petitioners  believe  that  it  is  for  the  interest  of 
the  present,  and  will  also  be  for  the  interest  of  the  future 
population  of  said  county,  that  its  seat  of  justice  should  be 
re-located. 

"Your  petitioners  would  respectfully  represent  to  your 
honorable  body  that  the  quarter-section  on  which  the  town 
of  Princeton  is  located  is  three  miles  east  of  the  geographical 
center  of  said  countj^,  tO'  its  nearest  point;  that  it  is  fifteen 
miles  from  the  west  line  of  said  county,  and  eight  and  one- 
half  miles  from  the  east  line  of  said  county;  that  the 
geographical  section  upon  which  the  town  of  Clarksville  is 
located  is  one  mile  north  and  one  and  one-half  miles  east 
of  the  geographical  center  of  said  county;  that  it  is  a  hand- 
some, eligible  town-site,  and  is  situated  upon  the  main 
divide  running  diagonally  through  the  county  from  the 
southeast  corner  to  the  northwest  corner  of  the  county. 
Andi  it  is  far  superior  as  a  central  point  for  natural  divide 
roads,  and  is  one  and  one-half  miles  from  two'  good  mill- 
sites,  on  Cedar  River,  with  good  ridge  roads-  running  to  the 
same,  and  good  bodies  of  building  timber  convenient  to 
said  mill-sites;  that  the  town  of  Princeton  is  situated  four 
and  one-half  miles  from  a  good  mill-site,  and  a  road  cannot 
be  obtained  nearer  on  suitable  ground. 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA.  27 

'Tour  petitioners  would  respectfully  say  to  your  honor- 
able body  that  two,  only,  of  the  Commissioners  officiated  in 
the  selection  of  the  present  town-site  (Princeton),  and  that 
they  commenced  their  labors  on  Tuesday  evening  at  about 
four  o'clock  on  the  fifth  day  of  August,  ultimo,  and  finished 
on  Friday  following,  examining  tlie  county  as  such  not  to 
exceed  two  and  one-half  days,  mainly  without  roads  and 
when  the  exuberance  of  vegetation  would  necessarily  retard 
their  examination. 

"Now  your  petitioners  firmly  believe  that  no  Commis- 
sioners can,  in  so  short  a  time,  sufliciently  examine  this 
county,  and  that  in  this  hasty  examination  great  injustice 
has  been  done  our  county, 

"Your  petitioners  would  respectfully  represent  to  your 
honorable  body  that  there  were  polled  at  the  present  August 
election  in  said  county  one  hundred  and  thirty-two  votes 
for  Congressional  Representative,  and  the  same  number  for 
and  against  the  Constitution,  and  that  the  number  of  voters 
within  the  county  will  not  materially  swell  the  above  number 
at  the  present  time;  and  that  while  the  population  is  small, 
and  before  any  expense  shall  have  been  incurred  by  the 
improvement  of  the  said  town  of  Princeton,  the  question 
of  selection  should  be  referred  to  the  people. 

"Your  petitioners  fully  believe  that  if  tlie  town  of 
Princeton  is  suffered  to  remain  the  seat  of  justice  in  said 
county,  that  it  will  ever  be  a  subject  of  contention  between 
the  citizens  of  the  county,  and  that  an  inland  county  like  the 
present  Kishkekosh  should  have  as  central  a  location  as 
could  be  selected, 

"Your  petitioners  would  further  say  that  that  portion 
of  the  county  lying  west  of  the  geographical  center  is  not 
settled  as  fully  and  as  thickly  as  it  is  east  of  said  center, 
and  for  this  reason,  that  the  east  part  of  the  county  lies 
the  most  convenient  to  tlie  Old  Purchase,  on  which  most 
of  the  settlers  are  at  first  dependent  for  the  common  neces- 
sities of  life;  but  that  the  west  portion  of  the  county  will 
compare  favorably  with  any  other  i)ortion  of  the  county; 
that  it  has  fine  bodies  of  timber  and  good  prairie,  and  will, 
in  all  probability,  very  soon  be  as  densely  settled  and  im- 
proved as  any  other  ]>ortion  of  Iowa." 

To  this  petition  were  attached  the  following  signatures: 

Robert  Husted,  H.  W.  Bro^^^l,  Geo.  Root,  Elijah  John- 
son, Henry  Barnes,  N.  E.  Hendrix,  Wm.  Hendrix,  Amos 


28  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  TOW  A. 

Stricklaiud,  R.  O.  Strickland,  Josliua  Flecbeart,  Geo.  Weaver, 
Daniel  Mclntosli,  Daniel  Clianice,  Jolin  Chance,  Johm  Sap- 
penfiel'd,  John  Hammer,  Nathaniel  P.  Jackson,  Michael 
Hittle,  James  Findley,  Orlando  Myers,  Solomon  Robinson, 
Peter  Cain,  M.  H.  Clark,  Henry  H.  Harrison,  Geo.  Rougher, 
Wm.  H.  H.  Davis,  Jacob  Hammer,  Daniel  Cone,  David 
Ramsey,  Matthias  Hogg-,  Allen  C.  Phinney,  Christopher  K. 
Wilson,  Andrew  Gillespie,  Wm,  Records,  Joseph  McMullen, 
T.  G.  Templeton,  Jomas  Wesooatt,  James  McCarroll,  H. 
Runnels,  Eliphalet  Johnson,  Samuel  Tyrrell,  John  Miller, 
Job  Rogers,  Madison  Anderson,  Nelson  Wescoatt,  Wm. 
Bailey,  Michael  Biair,  John  Bougher,  J.  G.  Epperson,  Wm, 
Stewart,  Oliver  Tyrrell,  John  Clark,  N.  B.  Preston,  Levi 
Dungan,  James  Stephenson,  Roland  Inghan,  John  Stephen- 
son, Harden  Searcy,  John  Baile}',  H.  P.  Bailey,  Wm.  Garland, 
Nelson  Cain,  E,  H.  J^randon,  Geo,  Cain,  I.  C.  Layton,  A. 
AVilson,  Reuben  D.  McKinney,  Wm.  Murphy,  Wm,  Miller, 
Jeremiah  Miller,  Orrin  Miller,  Aaron  Pickerell,  Wm.  V. 
Beadle,  Chas.  Anderisoai,  Jas.  Anderson,  Orrin  Wilson,  B, 
F.  B.  Bates,  Harry  INliller,  Daniel  Judso'u,  Philander  L. 
Tyrrell,  Josiah  Edmonds,  Marshall  S.  Tyrrell,  Elam  Judson, 
Smith  Judson,  Chas.  Bates,  Homer  J.  Tyrrell,  James  O. 
Render,  Lewis  M.  Bentley,  Nathaniel  Newmain,  Andrew 
De  Koven,  Thos.  E.  Forest,  John  Copple,  Willis  Stephens, 
Ezra  P,  Cone,  Leonard  Copple,  Jesse  Combs,  Samuel  Cane, 
Joseph  H,  P.  Stew^art,  John  H,  Wilson,  James  Stewart, 
Nathan  H,  Wilson,  Wm,  Clodfelter,  Solomon;  Byerley,  W,  G. 
Clark,  Thois,  Coppedge,  Isaac  Hopi>er,  Ivan  Beebe,  Peter 
Wells,  James  Hilton,  John  Stephemson,  S,  J,  Warden,  Otho 
Williams,  Jesse  Walker,  Allan  ^Villiams,  Joseph  Kerns, 
Marvin  Williams,  Walter  H,  Cross,  Harry  Cross,  ThOiS,  H. 
Brock,  Jacob  M.  Davis,  Samuel  Davis,  Jonathan  Mason, 
John  Davis,  \V>sley  Cain,  C.  H.  Brandon,  Willoughby 
Randolph,  Geo.  H,  McLaughlin,  Geo.  Cain,  Thos,  Williamson, 
Abner  Barbour,  Jackson  Scott,  William  Bisland,  Jolin  M, 
Mclntj're,  John  McGinnis,  I'eter  Johnson,  Jas,  Brandon, 
Robert  Finley,  Robert  Henderson,  Perry  Ruunells,  Abram 
Williams,  Geo.  Cline,  James  I'omeroy,  Anson  Wiseman, 
John  JNI.  Wallace,  James  R.  Bruce,  Levi  Hagan,  David 
Cooper. 

Notwithstanding  that  the  foregoing  petition  was  ac- 
companied by  an  indorsement  from  one  John  Bailey,  who 
certified  among  other  things  that  he  had  lived  on  the  creek 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA.  29 

for  about  nine  montlis,  anrl  had  cxplorod  the  stivam  both 
ways,  and  had  found  cU'gant  tinibci-,  good  rock,  and  tine 
spi'inp;  Avater  in  abundance,  etc.,  for  a  veiitication  of  which 
statements  he  invites  the  public  to  visit  his  residence,  about 
five  miles  southwest  of  Chii'k's  Point;  and  notwithstanding 
tlie  averments  in  the  foregoing  i)etition,  to  the  effect  that 
there  were  "two  good  mill-sites"  on  the  lordly  "Cedar  River," 
within  one  and  one-half  miles  of  Clarksville,  the  county  seat 
remained  at  I'rinceton. 

The  patrons  of  the  town  of  Princeton,  however,  retorted 
by  a 

"REMONSTRANCE. 

"To  the  Honorable  Council  and  House  of  Representatives  of 

The  Territory  of  Iowa  in  Legislature  assembled: 

"  Whereas,  A  petition  is  gotten  up  for  an  Act  to  be  passed 
by  your  honorable  body  for  an  election  to  decide  w  hether 
our  county  seat  shall  remain  at  Princeton,  or  be  removed  to 
Clarksville; 

"We,  the  undersigned  citizens  of  said  county,  feel  it 
our  duty  to  oppose  the  same,  believing  3'our  Honors  will  see 
the  propriety  of  this  opposition  in  the  following  reasons, 
to-wit: 

"We,  as  a  county,  petitioned  your  honorable  Legislature 
for  Commissioners  to  be  appointed  by  them  to  locate  our 
county  seat,  which  Avas  granted,  and  according  to  law  thi'y 
have  acted.  Although  the  petition  aforesaid  is  said  to  contain 
evidence  that  said  Commissioners  traveled  and  labored  but 
two  and  a  half  days,  it  is  well  known  to  us  to  be  a  misrepre- 
sentation. We  know  they  commenced  operations  on  Tues- 
day in  said  county,  and  stuck  the  stake  on  Saturday  follow- 
ing, on  the  noi-t Invest  quarter  of  s<'ctiou  21*,  range  17,  west. 

"We  oppose  said  pctitiDU  from  th(»  fact  that  at  least  two- 
thirds  of  their  signers  have  never  seen  the  location  of  either 
Princeton  or  Clarksvilh',  and  know  nothing  of  the  propriety 
or  impropriety  of  removing  it. 

"Again,  many  of  the  names  on  the  petition  were  under 
the  age  of  21. 

"The  northeast  comer  of  iho  county  being  more  thickly 
settled  than  the  south,  but  not  likely  to  be  so  in  the  future, 
serious  inconvenience  will  necessarily  be  suffered  by  future 
population.  The  center  of  the  county  is  in  Cedar  Pottom. 
consequently  not  suitable  for  a  town.     Your  Commissioners 


30  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

located  Princeton  on  the  center  line  of  the  county  running 
east  and  west,  and  the  north-and-south  line  on  the  west  of 
the  town  is  just  three  miles  from  the  center. 

''Again,  the  quarter  of  land  Princeton  contains  is  worth 
at  least  double,  to  the  county,  what  the  quarter  at  Clarksville 
is  worth,  from  the  situation  of  both,  Clarksville  is  a  nar- 
row, crooked  ridge,  interrupted  by  sloughs,  while  Princeton 
is  a  beautiful,  level  prairie. 

''We  oppose  the  unnecessary  expense  for  the  county  to 
make  an  election  on  the  subject. 

''Your  petitioners,  therefore,  request  your  honorable 
body  to  let  the  county  seat  of  Kishkekosh  County  remain  at 
the  town  of  Princeton,  according  to  its  location,  for  which 
your  petitioners  would  ever  pray." 

To  this  remonstrance  were  attached  the  following 
signatures : 

F.  R.  S.  Byrd,  Aliathan  Newton,,  Noah  Bonebrake,  John 
Bonebrake,  Geo.  W.  Bethards,  Wm.  Olney,  Josiah  C.  Boggs, 
L.  M,  Boggs,  Jeremiah  Wilson,  A.  M.  Walker,  John  Walker, 
Michael  Lower,  John  Lower,  Jas.  McRoberts,  Wm.  Scott, 
Jas.  R.  Boggs,  Joseph  Lundy,  Wm.  Bellsland,  Eliphalet  John- 
son, Abram  Tilley,  Lawrell  Tyrrell,  Creath  Renfro,  John 
Renfro,  John  B.  Gray,  John  A.  Massey,  Abraham  Webb, 
Andrew  Gillespie,  Andrew  Elswick,  Jonathan  Elswick, 
Calvin  Elswick,  John  Walker,  F.  New,  Jabez  Tuttle,  Thorn- 
ton F.  Chapman,  Thos.  R,  Barbour,  Christopher  K.  Wilson, 
Abner  Harbor,  Jas.  T.  Bradley,  Horace  L  Tyrrell,  F.  Healy, 
Robt.  M.  Hartness,  Oliver  Tyrrell,  Philander  Tyrrell,  L 
Beebe,  G.  Judson,  Joseph  Bruce,,  John  Midlain,  Wm.  Mc- 
Bride,  George  Anderson,  Job  Rogers,  John  Gunther,  Israel 
Green,  Oliver  P.  Rowles,  David  Rowles,  James  Hardestay, 
Reuben  Mock,  Thos.  McSouth,  Ira  Beebe,  Peter  Miller, 
Andrew  Barber,  B.  F.  B.  Bates,  Chas.  Anderson,  Wm.  H. 
McBride,  Wm.  Buchanan,  Geo.  Day,  Jas.  Gordon,  Jas.  Mcln- 
tyre,  Jacob  Zigler,  John  M.  Mclntyre,  John  R.  Bruce, 
Mesach  PlufPs,  Lawson  Bradley,  Orwin  Judson,  Wm.  Bone- 
brake, A.  Dorothy,  Smith  Judson,  Harry  Miller,  Chas.  Bates, 
floseph  Franks,  John  Webb,  Wm.  Lower,  Jacob  Bonebrake. 
M.  Cross,  Alfred  Marvin,  Geo.  Marvin,  Foster  Marvin,  John 
Mock. 

To  the  petition  calling  for  an  election  to  reestablish  the 
county  seat,  and  in  behalf  of  the  town  of  Clarksville,  there 
were  149  signatures,  and  to  the  remonstrance  were  attached 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA.  31 

88  names,  among  which  Ira  Boebe  and  Wm.  McBride  each 
subscribed  his  name  twice.  The  names  of  Andrew  Gillespie, 
Ira  Beebe,  Philander  L.  Tyrrell,  and  B.  F.  B.  Bates  occur  in 
both  petitions. 

An  election  was  held  in  April,  1846,  and  it  was  decided, 
by  a  bare  majority  of  4,  to  allow  the  county  seat  to  remain  at 
I'rinceton.  Accordingly,  on  January  19,  1846,  the  Legisla- 
ture passed  a  bill  permanently  locating  the  county  seat  at 
l*rinceton,  or  Albia,  as  it  was  named  in  the  bill — an  act  hav- 
ing been  passed  the  same  day  changing  the  name. 

At  the  county-seat  election  there  was  considerable  polit- 
ical wire-pulling.  At  the  same  election  some  officers  were  to 
be  elected,  among  which  was  a  delegate  to  the  constitutional 
convention  called  for  the  purpose  of  adopting  a  State  consti- 
tution. Wareham  G.  Clark,  W.  H.  H.  Davis,  and  Mr.  Leigh- 
ton  were  the  aspirants.  The  Princeton  crowd  were  Whigs, 
and  Clark  and  Davis  were  Democrats,  but  the  Whigs  entered 
into  a  compact  to  support  Davis  if  he  w'ould  use  his  influence 
in  behalf  of  Princeton.  He  did  so,  but  the  Whigs  went  back 
on  him  and  voted  for  Leighton.  Mr.  Clark,  on  the  other 
hand,  was  elected  delegate  by  a  good  majority. 

The  county-seat  question  now  being  settled  for  all  time, 
the  Board  of  Commissioners,  consisting  of  Smith  Judson, 
Wm.  McBride,  and  Andrew  Elswick,  met  on  the  17th  of 
August,  1846,  for  the  purpose  of  arranging  plans  to  erect  a 
court-house.  According  to  specifications,  the  structure  was 
to  be  20  feet  square  and  14  feet  high,  and  constructed  of 
hewn  logs  7  inches  in  thickness  and  hewn  on  two  sides,  and 
the  cracks  between  the  logs  were  to  be  not  more  than  3  inches 
wide  at  the  corners.  The  roof  was  to  be  composed  of  clap- 
boards 3  feet  in  length  and  nailed  to  rafters  hewn  on  one  side. 
The  gable  ends  of  the  building  were  to  be  weatherboarded 
in  the  prevailing  architecture  of  the  ])eriod.  The  architect 
undertaking  the  erection  of  this  edifice  was  placed  under  a 
bond  of  |tl60  to  secure  its  completion  by  the  25th  of 
September. 

Another  session  of  the  Board  of  Commissioners  con- 
vened in  extra  session  on  the  18th  of  August,  to  consider 
l)lans  and  proposals  for  the  chinking  and  daubing  of  the 
court-house,  and  the  transaction  of  other  matters  of  im- 
portance. 

In  1847  the  subject  of  liipioi-  trafic  came  up.  and  at  the 
April  election  a  vote  was  taken  on  the  proposition  to  issue 


32  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

a  license  for  the  sale  of  intoxicants;  82  votes  were  cast  in 
favor  of  license,  and  42  against  the  measure. 

When  the  court-house  was  finally  completed,  and  the 
contractor  paid  for  the  job,  which  amounted  to  |75,  the  Board 
of  County  Commissioners  next  began  to  canvass  the  question 
of  erecting  a  county  jail.  In  April,  1848,  arrangements  were 
made  to  build  a  jail  16  feet  square.  The  walls,  loft,  and 
floor  were  to  be  composed  of  hewn  logs  1  foot  square,  and 
there  was  to  be  one  window  14x16  inches,  secured  by  suit- 
able fastenings.  Alpheus  Miller  and  Doster  Noland  were 
awarded  the  contract  for  building  the  jail.  The  cost  of  the 
structure  was  $174. 


HISTORY  OF  MOXh'OE  COVyTY.  70111.  33 


CHAPTER  IV. 

Early  Political  Methods. 

As  early  as  1848,  Empire's  evil  star  began  to  flit  her  fit- 
ful beams  upon  the  political  orpinization  of  Monroe  County. 
The  Democrats  had  attained  the  zenith  of  power,  but  the 
aggressive  and  rapidly  increasing  Whig  element  had  be- 
come so  formidable  a  rival  that  to  maintain  the  ground  held 
by  one,  and  to  advance  the  line  of  pickets  of  the  other,  polit- 
ical acumen  was  taxed  to  its  utmost.  At  that  period  the  polit- 
ical fabric  was  not  so  intricately  interwoven  as  at  present, 
and  it  was  almost  impossible  for  the  politician  to  get  in  his 
"fine  work''  without  detection.  Yet,  to  offset  this  disadvan- 
tage, the  manipulator  of  party  interests  was  not  so  greatly 
hedged  in  by  the  law  as  he  is  now ;  and  however  unscrupulous 
his  methods,  the  statutes  ottered  little  remedy  for  correcting 
the  abuses  of  partisanship. 

At  the  time  we  speak  of  (1848)  a  Congressional  campaign 
was  to  be  waged  in  the  First  Congressional  District,  of  which 
]\lonroe  County  was  then  a  part.  ^Monroe  County  had  a 
Democratic  majority  over  the  Whigs,  but  the  eastern  coun- 
ties of  the  district  had  a  large  Whig  following,  who  exhibited 
a  burning  desire  to  defeat  the  Democrats,  by  methods  doubt- 
less e<iually  questionable  if  necessary. 

Tlie  Whigs  brought  into  the  field  Daniel  F.  Miller  for 
Congress,  and  the  Democrats  nominated  Wm.  Thompson,  of 
Mt.  Pleasant. 

At  this  time  many  of  the  ^Mtrmons  of  Illinois,  in  making 
their  hegira  fi'om  Xanvoo.  had  located  temporarily  in  dif- 
ferent localities  in  southern  Iowa,  to  rest  and  recuperate  be- 
fore proceeding  onward  across  the  plains  to  the  Salt  Lake 
valley,  whither  Josej)h  Smith,  their  saint  and  leader,  had 
])ropliesied  they  should  l)e  gathered  under  the  immediate 
supervision  of  tln^  Lord. 

As  before  stated,  all  the  territory  lying  directly  west  of 
Monroe  County,  as  far  iis  the  Missouri  liiver.  was  attached  to 
Monroe  County  for  election  and  judicial  jtnrposes. 

This  unorganized  territory  comprised  the  tier  of  coun- 
ties now  consisting  of  Lucas,  Clark,  Union,  Ad.ams,  Mont- 
gomery, and  Mills.     Several  small  settlements  of  Mormons 
3 


34  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

were  made  in  one  or  more  of  these  counties;  one  was  at 
Garden  Grove,  in  Lucas  County.  The  Mormons  were  the 
first  to  settle  Lucas  County,  and,  indeed,  many  of  the  early 
settlers  of  Monroe  were  Mormons,  but  they  had  lost  faith 
in  their  doctrine  and  made  up  their  minds  to  embrace  the 
belief  of  their  ''Gentile"  neighbors,  and  remain. 

In  this  connection  it  will  be  of  interest  to  state  that  some 
of  the  most  conspicuous  and  highly  esteemed  families  resid- 
ing in  Monroe  County  at  the  present  day  were  apostates 
from  the  Mormon  Church.  That  branch  of  the  ''Hairy  Na- 
tion" locating  in  Mantua  and  Urbana  townships  was  largely 
composed  of  ex-Mormons;  but,  as  the  extravagant  doctrines 
of  the  "Latter-Day  Saints,"  as  they  cliose  to  style  themselves, 
and  their  sometimes  predatory  exploits  among  their  "Gen 
tile"  neighbors,  have  attached  considerable  odium  to  the 
Mormons  as  a  church  organization,  those  who  apostatized 
and  are  now  living  in  Monroe  County  are  a  little  reticent 
about  speaking  of  their  connection  with  the  Mormon  Church. 
In  this  digression  it  is  but  just  to  add  that  these  apostates 
had  joined  the  Mormon  Church  before  the  doctrine  of  polyg- 
amy had  been  ingrafted  into  their  creed;  consequently 
none  of  them  either  sanctioned  or  practiced  polygamy,  as 
they  withdrew  from  the  church  as  soon  as  Brigham  Young 
began  to  inculcate  polygamy  in  the  doctrines  of  the  sect. 

The  Mormons  of  Nauvoo  had  always  been  Democrats, 
and  it  was  but  reasonable  to  suppose  that  in  their  exit  to  the 
west  they  had  brought  along  with  them  their  political  as  well 
as  their  spiritual  convictions.  They  had  formed  a  settle- 
ment on  the  Missouri  River  in  Pottawattamie  County,  at  a 
place  called  Cainsville,  which  occupied  the  present  site  of 
Council  Bluffs.  There  were  a  considerable  number  of  Mor- 
mons at  this  settlement,  and  if  their  votes  could  be  secured 
in  the  Congressional  canvass  of  the  First  District,  their 
strength  would  constitute  a  balance  of  power. 

In  furtherance  of  this  scheme,  the  Board  of  County  Com- 
missioners, consisting  of  Andrew  Elswick,  Wm.  McBride, 
and  Geo.  R.  Ilolliday,  and  Dudley  C.  Barber  as  clerk,  all 
Democrats,  made  the  following  order  for  the  establishment 
of  an  election  precinct  in  Pottawattamie  County,,  "toJiich  lies 
directly  west  of  Monroe  Countjf^ : 

"Ordered  by  said  Board,  That  that  portion  of  country 
called  Pottawattamie  County,  which  lies  directly  west  of 
Monroe  County,  be   organized   into  a   township,   and   that 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA.  35 

Cainsville  be  an  election  precinct  in  said  townsliip,  and  that 
the  election  be  held  at  the  Council  House  in  said  village;  and 
that  Chas,  Bird,  Henry  Miller,  and  Wni.  Huntington  be  ap- 
pointed judges  of  said  election;  and  that  the  boundaries  of 
said  township  extend  east  as  far  as  the  east  Nishnabatna." 

This  order  was  promulgted  by  the  Board  on  July  8, 1848. 
Pottawattamie  County,  as  everyone  knows,  does  not  "lie 
directly  west  of  Monroe  County,"  being  one  tier  of  counties 
north  of  the  Monroe  County  tier.  The  geography  of  western 
Iowa  was  not  very  well  known  at  that  time,  and  for  the  pur- 
pose of  ascertaining  whether  the  Mormon  settlement  at 
Cainsville  was  included  in  the  territory  directly  west  of 
Monroe  County.  Judge  Mason  and  Judge  Weber,  the  latter 
a  surveyor,  were  sent  west  on  a  surveying  tour  to  ascertain 
the  exact  geographical  location  of  the  precinct  of  Cainsville. 

Notwithstanding  the  fact  that  the  location  of  Cainsville 
is  at  least  twenty  miles  north  of  the  northern  line  of  Monroe 
Couny  (Mills  County  lying  between),  these  gentlemen  re- 
turned with  the  information  that  the  Cainsville  precinct  fell 
within  the  jurisdiction  of  Monroe  County.  It  seems  that 
they  had  also  made  a  survey  of  the  political  sentiments  of  the 
Mormons,  for  they  reported  them  as  solidly  Democratic. 

This  was  encouraging  news  to  the  party,  but  when  the 
matter  leaked  out,  and  the  design  of  the  scheme  became  fully 
apparent  to  the  Whigs,  the  latter  were  thrown  into  great 
consternation.  Emissaries  were  dispatched  by  both  par- 
ties to  the  Mormon  stronghold  to  negotiate  for  the  Mor- 
mon vote.  Their  woes  and  persecutions  were  duly  com- 
miserated by  the  agents  of  each  party.  They  were  petted 
and  fondled  and  pitied  and  cajoled  like  the  laboring  class 
are  to-day,  by  political  demagogues.  But  the  unexpected 
was  destined  to  occur  at  that  day  as  well  as  at  the  present. 
The  Mormons,  at  the  election  on  the  7th  day  of  August,  1848, 
voted  solidly  for  the  Whig  candidate. 

Whether  this  sudden  and  altogether  unlooked-for  change 
in  the  political  convictions  of  the  ''Latter-Day  Saints"  of 
Cainsville  was  attributable  to  the  use  of  money  cannot  be 
definitely  stated.  It  is  charged  that  the  Democrats  oiTered 
but  one  thousand  dollars  for  their  votes,  while  the  Whigs 
raised  the  amount  to  twelve  hundred,  and  thereby  secured 
the  vote.  While  this  assertion  may  be  true,  it  is  equally  prob- 
able that  the  Mormons  had  lost  faith  in  the  Democratic 
party,  and  wanted  to  experiment  on  a  change  of  administra- 


36  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

tiou.  Under  the  existinoj  administration  they  had  been 
driven  from  place  to  place  and  had  failed  to  secure  the 
rights  of  religious  liberty,  as  they  claimed  was  guaranteed 
them  under  the  Constitution,  and  in  their  exasperation  they 
probably  voted  the  Whig  ticket  through  mere  caprice,  or 
through  a  desire  to  experiment  with  the  Whig  doctrine. 

J.  C.  Hall,  a  prominent  Democrat  of  Burlington,  on  hear- 
ing of  the  disaster  to  his  party  at  Cainsville,  mounted  his 
trusty  horse  and  set  out  for  Albia  to  take  counsel  with  his 
party  in  Monroe  County,  and  possibly  devise  some  means  of 
preventing  the  canvass  of  the  vote  of  Cainsville.  He  arrived 
in  Albia  in  advance  of  the  Cainsville  poll-book. 

The  Board  convened  to  canvass  the  vote  on  the  14th  day 
of  August.  The  canvass  was  made  at  the  log  ciabin  of 
Dudley  C.  Barber,  the  clerk  of  the  Board  of  Commissioners. 
Among  those  present  was  Dr.  riint,  a  brother-in-law  of 
Barber,  and  an  intensely  zealous  Democrat.  Israel  Kister, 
of  Jefferson  County,  was  also  present.  A  heated  discuission 
arotse  as  to  the  validity  of  the  Cainsville  returns.  Mr. 
Mark,  who  was  afterwards  postmaster  at  Albia,  wa,s  also 
present,  and  championed  the  cause  of  the  Whigs.  After 
considerable  wrangling,  it  was  concluded  to  make  another 
examination  of  the  returns,  when  the  Cainsville  poll-book 
could  not  be  found.  It  had  miraculously  disappeared  from 
the  table,  where  it  had  quietly  rested  a  few  moments  before. 
It  finally  became  apparent  that  the  book  had  been  surrepti- 
tiously concealed  or  stolen.  A  row  ensued,  and  pistols 
were  drawn,  but  no  blood  was  shed.  It  is  not  definitely 
known  who  stole  the  poll-book,  but  it  was  strongly  surmised 
that  Kister  spirited  it  away  from  the  room  and  carried  it  off 
in  his  saddle-bags.  It  is  at  least  claimed,  by  a  gentleman 
whose  statements  cannot  be  impeached,  that  Kister  ad- 
mitted the  purloining  of  the  book.  Some  say  it  was  thrust 
through  a  crack  in  the  "puncheon"  floor  and  afterwards 
fished  out. 

The  Democratis  had  a  majority  in  the  Congressional 
District,  and  Miller,  the  Whig  candidate,  contested  his  seat, 
on  the  grounds  of  fraud  in  the  poll-book  incident.  The  case 
was  sent  back  from  (congress  to  be  decided  in  the  courts. 
The  case  wais  tried  at  Keokuk,  and  in  the  trial  which  ensued 
further  liglit  wa,s  shed  on  the  stealing  of  the  Cainsville 
poll-book.  It  transpired  that  eitheir  Kister  or  Dr.  Flint 
bad  secretly  deposited  the  book  in  the  saddle-bags  of  Judge 


niSTORY  OF  MOWROE  COUNTY,  IOWA.  37 

^[ason.  the  gentleman  already  referred  to  in  this  incident, 
and  thait  that  <;t'ntlenian  was  unaware  that  it  was  there 
until  he  had  <i(>ne  to  lii.s  home  at  Agency,  and  opened  the 
sjiddle-bags.  In  the  trial  of  the  case,  Tliompson,  the  Demo- 
cratic nominee,  got  ^lason  to  defend  his  case.  Miller  called 
upon  Mason  to  sJiow  his  authority  to  act  for  Thompson; 
whereupon  ^lason  drew  from  his  pocket  what  he  supposed 
was  the  authority,  but  it  proved  to  be  the  missing  poll- 
book,  ^liller  then  stated  to  the  court  that  he  had  just  come 
into  possession  of  what  he  had  been  looking  for  for  a  year — 
tlie  missing  book. 

The  District  Court  decided  that  tlie  returns  from  the 
Oainsville  precinct  gave  a  majority'  to  Miller,  the  Whig 
candidate,  and  Miller  was  admitted  to  his  seat  in  the 
thirty-first  Congress. 

Thompson,  in  the  meantime,  had  taken  his  seat  at  the 
opening  of  the  session,  but  when  the  case  went  to  Keokuk 
for  trial,  he  returned  from  Washington  to  defend  his  claims. 

The  final  adjustuient  of  this  Congressional  dispute  was 
not  made  until  after  the  State  election  of  1S50,  in  which 
Bernhart  Henn,  of  Fairfield,  was  elected  to  Congress,  and 
took  his  seat  in  1S51.  Henn  was  a  Democrat  of  th.e 
Bucluinan  school. 

During  the  last  session  of  the  thirt^'-first  Congress  the 
Thompson-Miller  case  was  taken  up  and  disposed  of  in  the 
District  Court.  It  was  ordered  that  another  election  be 
held  in  the  distnct  in  September,  1850,  to  fill  the  vae4incy — 
the  court  holding  that  neither  party  to  the  contest  had  been 
duly  elected.  In  this  election  the  Democrats  carried  Monroe 
County,  but  the  district  was  cfirried  by  the  Whigs;  and 
Miller  was  elected  and  served  during  the  last  session  of  the 
thirty-first  Congress. 

This  Congressional  contest  wa.s  so  bitter  that  it  en- 
gendered a  s]»irit  of  i>arty  acrimony  which  did  not  subside 
until  the  Whig  ]»arty  was  sup(ise<h'd  by  the  Republican 
party,  at  the  opening  of  the  Civil  War. 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 


CHAPTER  V. 

Miscellaneous  Topics. 

The  early  settlers  of  Monroe  County  were  oompo-sed 
mainly  of  people  from  Illinois,  Wisconsin,  Indiana,  Ohio, 
Virginia,  Kentucky,  Missouri,  and  Pennsylvamia.  There 
are  to-day  probably  a  greater  number  from  Indiana  than 
from  any  other  State;  and  there  are  no  doubt  more  people  in 
the  county  to-day  from  the  States  of  Illinois,  Indiana,  and 
Ohio  tliian  from  all  the  other  States  in  the  Union. 

The  Missourians  never  showed  much  partiality  for  Mon- 
roe County,  nor  to  the  State  at  large,  for  during  that  period 
when  the  migration  of  settlers  from  adjoining  States  was 
at  its  highest  point,  the  breach  which  was  gradually 
widening  between  the  Noi'tli  and  South  seems  to  have  placed 
a  check  on  Northern  emigration  as  early  as  the  period  of 
Buchanan's  administration. 

Later,  the  intens(e  secitional  'haitred  arouised  by  the 
border  warfare  still  further  impeded  emigration  from 
Missouri,  and  the  term  ''border  rutiian"  seems,  even  at  this 
late  day,  to  occasionally  stir  up  a  long-dormant  feeling  of 
reproach  in  the  recollections  of  the  pioneers  of  southei'n 
Iowa. 

It  is  probable  that  the  ena(itment  of  the  famous  Kansas- 
Nebrsaka  Bill  also  had  something  to  do  towards  discourag- 
ing emigration  from  Missouri  to  Iowa.  On  the  enactment 
of  this  bill,  Missouri  poured  a  flood  of  emigration  westward, 
for  the  purpose  of  augmenting  the  pro-slavery  sentiment  in 
Kansas  and  Nebraska,  and  also  of  acquiring  homes. 

The  "Sucker"  of  Illinois  was  lured  here  by  the  mag- 
nificent stretches  of  prairie.  In  going  from  easit  to  west, 
one  first  encounters  the  border  of  the  great  prairie  region 
of  the  continent  in  western  Illinois  and  Iowa.  This  transi- 
tion is  very  marked  in  Monroe  County.  To  the  east  of 
Monroe,  the  Des  Moines  and  Mississippi  valleys  interrupt  the 
uniformity  of  the  surface  by  their  broad  wooded  valleys  and 
the  narrow  ridges  between  their  innumerable  tributaries. 

To  the  west  of  Monroe,  a  complete  change  takes  place. 
The  river  valleys  are  narrower  and  shallower,  and  the 
upland  tracts  of  timber  disappear.  The  prairie  region  then 
rolls  away  unbi'oken  to  the  Kocky  jNIountains. 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY.  IOWA.  39 

A  line  drawn  north  and  sonih  throii^li  Monroe  County 
presents  niiuh  the  same  charact eristic.  From  the  rolling 
praines  of  Mahaska  County  to  the  grassy  steppes  of  Minne- 
sota and  the  Dominion  territory  is  one  expanse  of  prairie. 

Our  southern  neighbor,  Ajtpanoose  County,  with  her 
wooded  ridges  and  brush^'  pastures,  may  be  said  to  define 
the  physical  limits  or  nuirk  the  boundaries,  in  a  physical 
sense,  of  the  >.'orth  and  South.  The  surface  of  Missouri  is 
broken  by  the  Chariton,  Crand,  Xodaway,  ^lissouri,  and 
other  rivers;  and,  indeed,  this  line  of  demarcation  may  be 
located  six  or  eight  miles  south  of  Albia,  on  Soap  Creek. 
From  that  point  south  to  the  Gulf  there  are  no  natural 
])rairies  of  any  considerable  extent. 

Those  who  settled  in  Monroe  County  in  the  early  days, 
and  who  had  come  from  Pennsylvania,  North  Carolina. 
Mrginia,  and  other  mountainous  localities,  did  not  consider 
the  beautiful  grass-grown  prairies  of  the  county  lit  for 
human  habitation.  They  scouted  tlie  idea  thait  cji'ops 
would  grow  where  the  w  ild  prairie  grass  waved  in  a  sea  of 
emerald.  They  selected  the  densely  w  ooded  creek  bottoms 
and  made  their  clearings  in  the  forest.  They  were  ac- 
customed to  the  rock-strewn  hills  of  their  native  States, 
and  were  instinctively  lured  to  those  localities  which  most 
closely  resembled  their  own,  which  they  had  left. 

It  will  seem  strange  at  this  day  that  the  beautiful 
prairies  (the  word  "piairie"  in  French  means  ''meadows") 
of  Monroe  County,  growing  in  grass  and  studded  with  wild 
sweet  Williams,  asters,  and  golden  rod,  and  a  profusion 
of  other  Uowers,  should  for  several  years  remain  untenanted 
by  those  who  had  come  here  to  acquire  homes. 

Those  who  were  a  little  slow  about  juaking  choice  (?) 
selections  of  claims  were  obliged  finally  to  settle  on  prairie 
tracts  like  what  is  now  the  farm  of  Hon.  O.  P.  Kowles,  and 
that  of  John  Collins,  a  few  miles  south  of  Albia,  and  other 
magnificent  estates  within  the  county. 

The  ox-team  and  the  break-])low  were  the  two  most 
potent  factors  of  pioneer  ci\  ilizatioai.  The  plow  was  con- 
structed as  fi)ll«>ws:  the  settler  would  remove  the  two  front 
wheels  from  his  wagon  and  place  them  on  a  rudely  con- 
structed axle  made  from  an  oak  sa.i»ling  (5  or  8  inches  in 
diameter  iuul  about  the  length  of  an  ordinary  wagon  axle; 
the  plow,  which  had  a  very  long  nuddboard  and  a  prodigious 
wooden   beanj,   was  partially   siispcndfd    between    the   two 


40  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

wheels  of  the  trucks  by  an  upright  frame  restimg  on  the 
axle;  a  long  lever  extended  from  the  front  end  of  the  plow- 
beam  back  to  the  upright  frame,  where  it  was  secured  by 
a  wiooden  pin;  there  was  a  series  of  auger-holes  in  the 
upright  frame,  and  the  depth  of  the  furrow  could  be  regu- 
lated by  simply  removing  the  adjusting  pin  from  one  of 
the  holes  and  lifting  or  bearing  down  on  the  lever.  There 
has  never  been  a  plow  manufactured  since  then  so  suitable 
for  turning  under  wild  sod  and  hazel-brush  as  this  rudely 
constructed  break-plow  of  our  fathers.  It  could  not  rise 
out  of  the  furrow  when  it  struck  a  roiot;  it  could  be  set  to  any 
desired  depth,  and  it  would  stay  there;  with  two  or  three 
yoke  of  oxen  attached,  it  would  cleave  its  way  through 
almost  anything;  when  it  encountered  a  ''running-oak,"  it 
did  not  "pass  by  on  the  other  side,"  like  the  Levite,  but  it 
went  through  it  and  turned  it  under. 

When  the  county  was  first  settled  there  was  little  under- 
bruslh.  The  hazel,  wbich  some  years  later  became  so 
abundant  on  the  prairies,  grew  very  sparsely.  Prairie  fires 
for  ages  had  swept  the  prairie  whenever  vegetation  was  in 
conditioni  to  burn,  and  these  kept  down  hazel  and  other 
shrubbery;  but  when  the  settlers  began  to  take  precautions 
against  the  ravages  of  fire,  a  dense  growth  of  oak  and  other 
varieties  of  trees  began  to  grow  into  low  upland  thickets, 
much  to  the  detriment  of  the  farmers  in  after  years. 

In  the  early  days  of  Monroe  County  the  forests  supplied 
an  abundance  of  fine  saw  timber,  and  even  at  the  present 
day  there  are  several  good  bodies  of  white  oak  in  Urbana 
Township,  in  the  vicinity  of  Elisha  Leech's  saw-mill. 

There  were  originally,  along  the  streams,  many  mag- 
nificent walnut-trees,  which  at  the  present  day  would  have 
yielded  a  handsome  profit  by  shipping  them  to  Eastern 
cities.  They  were  thoughtlessly  chopped  down  and  split 
into  fence-rails  or  sawed  into  plank. 

The  oak  predominates  in  this  county,  and  there  are  at 
least  eight  different  varieties^ — viz.,  white  oak,  red  oak, 
black-jack,  yellow  oak,  post:-oak,  burr-oak,  and  a  low  shrub 
variety,  known  as  chincapin-oak,  or  running-oak.  There  are 
also  a  few  chestnut-oak,  which  grow  more  plentifully  along 
the  streams  in  western  Iowa. 

The  white  oak  and  burr-oak  are  the  most  valued  for 
lumber  and  building  purposes,  owing  to  their  greater  lasting 
qualities.    Yellow  oak  decays  in  a  short  time.    Red  oak,  while 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COlWrY,  IOWA.  41 

not  (Hiit<'  so  lastino-  as  wliito  oak  or  bui'i'-oak,  inak(»s  fjood 
saw  tiiiilHT.  DNviii^  to  its  stniij;lit  jirowtli.  lilack-jack  is 
more  abmidant  tlu'oiijiliout  the  county  than  all  the  other 
varieties  combined.  The  tree  does  not  j^row  as  large  as 
some  of  the  other  varieties  and  it  is  of  little  value  for  lumber 
ov  building. 

Tlie  chestnut-oak  is  closely  allied  to  the  burr-oak,  and 
is  rarely  found  within  the  county. 

The  [K)st-oak  grows  on  the  uplands  and  occurs  in  dense 
thickets.  This  variety  seldom  attains  a  greater  diameter 
than  0  inches. 

The  running-oak  is  in  the  form  of  a  shrub;  and  also 
grows  on  the  uplands.  It  is  a  great  annoyance  to  the 
plowman,  since^  its  roots  are  hard  to  remove.  It  bears  a 
nutritious  acorn. 

There  are  two  varieties  of  elm.  the  slippery-elm  and 
the  water-elm.  The  former  is  nearly  as  lasting  as  oak  if 
kept  above  ground;  the  latter  is  absolutely  worthless  for 
ajiy  purpose. 

There  are  also  two  varieties  of  hickory,  the  shell-bark 
and  the  soft-shell,  or  pig-nut. 

Tile  black  walnut  is  tlie  only  native  variety  of  walnut 
within  the  county.  When  growing  on  the  uplands  it  does 
not  attain  a  great  height,  but  in  the  valleys  its  growth  is 
very  exuberant. 

There  are  two  varieties  of  maple.  The  soft-wood  maple 
is  found  occasionally  along  streams  in  a  native  state,  and 
when  jdanted  as  a  shade-tree,  grows  rajndly,  and  may  be 
seen  on  nearly  every  farm  in  the  county.  The  other  variety 
is  a  dwarfed  vari<'ty,  growing  on  low  giound,  and  commonly 
called  box-wood  or  swamp-maple. 

Tho  white  ash  also  grows  in  the  forests  of  the  county. 
Like  the  majde,  it  is  not  largely  distributed.  The  hackberry 
is  a  i-ough-barked  tre(\  which  is  occasionally  found  solitary 
in  the  woods. 

The  poisonous  buckeye,  or  horse  chestnut,  is  frequently 
met  with  along  the  creeks.  Its  wood  is  of  little  or  no 
vaJue. 

The  soft  linden,  or  lind,  as  it  is  commonly  called,  is 
another  ti-ee  growing  almost  everywhere.  It  is  a  handsome 
tree,  and  is  much  uscmI  for  making  "caps"  for  coal  props. 
It  is  also  used  to  some  extent  in  the  manufacture  of  cheese- 


42  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY.  IOWA. 

boxes.  It  blooms  twice  in  a  season,  and  the  bloom  yields 
considerable  food  for  the  honey-bee. 

The  aspen  is  the  stateliest  tree  of  the  Monroe  County 
forest.  It  is  of  rapid  growth,  but  its  lumber  is  always  more 
or  less  "wind-shaken,"  and,  when  green,  contains  a  greater 
proportion  of  water  than  other  wood;  for  this  reason  it 
warps  badl}-  and  splits  when  sawn  into  lumber. 

There  are  also  two  varieties  of  locust.  The  black  locust 
occurs  both  on  uplands  and  in  valleys,  but  never  attains  a 
larger  size  than  about  16  inches  in  diameter.  On  the  up- 
lands it  does  not  live  long,  as  the  worms  infest  the  wood 
and  in  a  few  years  kill  the  tree.  The  black  locust  lasts 
longest  of  any  native  wood  in  the  county,  especially  when 
underground.       The  honey-locust  is  much  less  numerous. 

There  are  also  several  varieties  of  willows  and  poplars, 
besides  crab-apple,  white-thorns,  etc. 


BISTORT  OF  MONROE  COUNTY.  TOW  A. 


43 


I  111.   Ul    ll'U.ST. 


CHAPTER  VI. 


In  Defense  of  the  Flag. 

On  the  breaking  out  of  the  (Jivil  Wai',  Monroe  County, 
from  lier  close  proximity  to  the  pro-slavery  border,  was  one 
of  those  new  counties  upon  which  the  evil  stroke  of  war  fell 
with  a  heav}'  hand.  She  was  ill  prepared  at  the  time  to  makf 
the  great  sacrifice,  but  the  record  of  her  soldier  boys,  and  of 
her  fathers,  upon  whose  locks  time  had  left  its  frost-marks, 
shows  that  they  not  only  took  their  lives  in  their  own  hands, 
but  bowed  to  a  still  grea((*r  saci-ilicc.  in  leaving  behind,  in 
privation,  their  wives  and  little  ones,  to  battle  with  hunger 
and  possibly  to  sillier  at  the  hands  of  guerrilla  hordes  from 
across  the  Missouri  bolder. 

No  pen  of  later  days  can  depict  the  thrilling  scenes  that 
still  haunt  the  memories  of  those  who  lived  in  that  joyless 
spring  of  1861.  The  robin  and  the  bluebird  were  trilling 
their  happy  notes;  and  the  wild  Howers  were  blooming  on 


44  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY.  IOWA. 

the  hillsides  and  in  the  forests,  innocently  unconscious  of 
impending  harm ;  but  there  was  a  blanched  look  upon  every 
cheek.  The  farmer  did  not  hitch  up  his  plow  and  go  out  into 
the  fields;  the  merchant  locked  his  store  door  to  attend  the 
''Union  meeting."  There  was  the  roll  of  the  drum  in  the 
streets,  and  the  shuffling  of  feet  in  measured  tread  by  night 
and  day;  there  was  the  singing  of  patriotic  songs  by  the 
choir  of  female  voices  upon  the  roof  of  the  court  house,  and 
the  hurried  enrollment  of  volunteers.  Then  came  the  day 
.when  the  boys  said  good-bye  to  their  parents,  their  friends, 
and  their  sweethearts,  wives,  and  little  ones.  The  young 
wife  tried  to  smile  through  her  tears  in  trying  to  assure  her 
husband  that  she  would  take  care  of  things  until  he  came 
back;  then  when  he  said  good-bye,  and  the  column  was 
marching  away,  she  lingered  at  the  front  gate,  watching  him 
disappear  perhaps  forever,  and  it  was  then  that  she  felt  the 
weight  of  helplessness  and  despair.  The  young  soldier  was 
hurried  to  tlie  front  before  he  scarcely  learned  the  use  of  a 
musket.  He  saw  for  the  first  time  the  maneuvering  of  regi- 
ments, and  heard  the  jarring  sounds  which  only  can  come 
from  the  rapid  wheeling  of  artillery  over  rough  ground.  He 
had  perhaps  seen  cannon  before  in  his  Northern  home,  but  he 
had  only  known  them  as  a  harmless  engine  for  celebrating 
public  events.  He  now  saw  in  their  blackened  visage  the  en- 
gine of  death.  He  knew  that  from  their  sulphurous  throats 
would  belch  the  iron  hail  of  death  instead  of  the  gala-day 
salute  of  his  peaceful  Northern  home. 

Then  there  were  those  who,  for  sufficient  reasons,  could 
not  go  to  the  war;  they  had  to  remain  behind,  and  to  their 
ears,  no  less  loyal  than  those  of  the  boys  at  the  front,  came 
the  echoes  of  the  guns  at  Ft.  Sumter  and  Manassas.  They 
read  the  reports  of  the  scathed  and  bleeding  army  of 
McDowell  being  cut  down  by  the  Bull  Run  batteries,  and  of 
the  Northern  army  being  hurled  back  upon  the  city  of  Wash- 
ington, and  they  realized  that  they  were  tied  at  home,  power- 
less to  offer  one  stroke  for  the  lil)erty  for  which  others  were 
striving. 

Then  up  from  that  dreaded  border,  like  auroral  stream- 
ers, shot  the  malignant  tongues  of  disloyalty  and  secession, 
which  stii-red  up  bitterness  and  strife  between  friends  and 
neighbors.  Nobody  could  foresee  which  side  would  come  out 
victorious  in  the  gathering  conflict.     The  housewife  scarcely 


HISTORY  or  UONh'OE  COT^XTY.  /OHM.  45 

<lar('d  to  express  lior  views  to  her  next-door  neijrlibor.  lest 
they  should  invite  strife;  for  in  the  days  of  '(Jl  the  i)ul)lic 
brain  wasatlanie  and  maddened  with  partisan  zeal,  and  for  a 
time  there  were  disloyal  families  in  Monroe  County,  and  they 
were  families  of  social  influence.  As  the  war  projjressed,  • 
and  success  to  the  Union  arms  bejjan  to  appear  more  favor- 
able, these  disunion  sympathizers  somewhat  modified  their 
disloyal  sentiments;  but  wli«4her  the  change  wa.s  due  to  sin- 
cere convictions  unconsciously  instilled  by  patriotic  sur- 
roundinjis,  or  to  politic  considerations,  cannot  be  stated, 
and  need  not  be  stated  at  tliis  late  day,  if  known.  Most  of 
those  whose  sympathies  were  with  the  South,  and  who  were 
liable  to  conscript  duty,  skipped  to  the  far  West  to  avoid  the 
draft  which  was  ordered  in  the  latter  part  of  the  war.  They 
were  designated  ''draft-skedaddlers"  and  ''moss-backs.'' 
Some,  however,  ma}'  have  evaded  the  draft  merely  through 
a  dread  of  military  hardships  or  a  disinclination  to  stand  up 
and  be  shot  at. 

There  were  many  trials  and  hardships  that  the  soldier 
of  Monroe  County  had  to  meet  and  undergo  which  were  not 
experienced  by  many  of  those  enlisting  from  older  counties. 
This  county  was  still  new,  and  domestic  improvement  had 
not  progressed  far  enough  to  secure  to  the  settlers  many  of 
the  comforts  of  life.  ^lost  people  were  ])Oor.  Everybody 
came  to  the  county  poor,  a  few  years  previous,  and  the  great 
majority  of  those  who  enlisted  were  men  who  were  either 
clearing  out  homes  for  themselves  and  families,  on  the  wild 
prairies,  or  were  helping  dependent  ]>arents  to  establish  a 
home  for  their  old  age. 

The  volunteer's  ]iay  of  thirt(H*n  or  fourteen  dollars  a 
month  was  of  course  inadeipiate  for  the  su]»]M)rt  of  a  family 
during  his  absence,  and  he  felt  that  at  best  he  would  have  to 
return  at  the  close  of  the  war  and  begin  anew  with  the  priva- 
tions which  he  liad  just  begun  to  surmount  when  his  country 
called  for  his  aid.  He  was  offering  too,  to  the  Union,  the  best 
part  of  his  life — a  time  when  he  should  be  laying  the  foun- 
dation for  his  calling. 

The  quotas  of  voluntecis  to  be  furnished  by  Towa  undei- 
the  Federal  calls  were  as  follows; 


46  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

For  3-months  men  (75,Q00),  volunteers 2,643 

For  500,000  men,  volunteers 17,617 

For  the  July  2,  1S62,  call  for  300,000,  volunteers 10,570 

For  the  August  4,  1862,   call   for  300,000  men,  to  be 

drafted 10,570 

Total  for  volunteers 41,400 

For   August   18,,   1862,   call  for   men   to   fill    up    old 

regiments 8,005 

Total 49,405 

Monroe  County's  quota  from  this  total  was  630,  of 
which  619  were  raised  without  drafting,  leaving  a  deficit  of 
only  11  to  be  raised  by  draft  or  voluntary  enlistment. 

The  quota  of  Appanoose  County  was 876 

The  number  furnished  was 705 

Leaving  a  deficit  of 171 

The  quota  of  Mahaska  was 1,087 

Number  furnished 946 

Leaving  a  deficit  of 141 

Wapello's  quota  was 1,063 

She  furnished 1,225 

An  excess  of 162 

Lucas  County's  quota  was 423 

The  number  furnished  was 419 

Leaving  a  deficit  of  but 4 

The  following  roster  of  Monroe  County  volunteers  is 
compiled  mainly  from  the  Adjutant-General's  Reports  and 
is  as  nearly  correct  as  it  is  possible  to  get  them.  The 
Adjutant-General's  Reports  contain  frequent  inaccuracies, 
which  it  has  been  the  aim  of  the  author  to  herein  correct. 

The  greater  portion  of  volunteers  enlisting  in  the  ser- 
vice from  Monroe  County  were  mustered  into  the  Sixth, 
Twenty-second,  and  Thirty-sixth  Iowa  Infantry,  and  the 
First  Cavalry. 

Company  E  of  the  Sixth  was  composed  very  largely  of 
Monroe  County  men.  The  list  of  volunteers  for  this  com- 
pany overran  the  maximum  limit  of  enrollment,  and  a  num- 
ber of  men  were  assigned  to  other  companies. 


HISTORY  OF  AfONROE  C0VNT7,  TOWA.  47 

In  the  Thirty-sixdi  Infantry,  Companies  A  and  K  were 
cliieHy  composed  of  IMonroe  County  men. 

In  the  otiicial  roster  of  these  companies  the  residence  of 
a  volunteer  in  many  instances  is  placed  in  some  adjoining 
county,  when  he  really  enlisted  from  Monroe  County.  This 
was  when  his  post-oflice  address  was  in  some  other  county, 
residence  being  inferred  from  post-ofhce  address. 

The  Sixth  Iowa  Infantry  was  one  of  those  regiments  of 
the  Northern  army  over  whose  head  seemed  to  hang  the  pall 
of  an  avenging  fate.  The  Sixth  Iowa  was  composed  of  boys 
fresh  from  the  fields  and  cities  of  Iowa.  They  were  en- 
rolled, mustered  in,  and  hurried  off  to  the  front  before  they 
fully  realized  the  great  resi)onsibilities  which  devolved  on 
them  as  conservers  of  the  nation. 

They  were  boys  with  the  steady  eye  and  unwavering 
columns  of  veterans.  The  regiment  suffered  the  greatest 
loss  in  killed  and  wounded  of  any  Iowa  regiment.  It  lost  in 
action  7  otticers,  and  100  men;  18  otticers  were  wounded,  and 
469  men. 

In  the  Thirty-sixth  Infantry  there  were  killed  in  action 
during  the  war  '.ib  men,  and  25  men  died  of  wounds;  also 
2:^5  died  of  disease,  1  committed  suicide,  and  142  were 
wounded. 

Companies  A  and  K  were  made  up  from  Monroe  County. 
The  Eighth.  Seventeenth,  and  Twenty-second  Iowa  Infantry 
contained  a  large  number  of  volunteers  from  tlie  county; 
also  the  First  Cavalry.  There  were  also  a  good  many  Mon- 
roe County  men  in  the  Thirty-seventh  Infantry,  or  "Gray- 
beard  Regiment." 

SECOND  IOWA   INFANTRY. 

Jas.  M.  Portor.  rise  2.3.  jirivato,  Co.  H;  must,  in  May  1.  '(H ;  wonnded 
six  times  at  Corinth,  yet  staid  on  thr  field;   pro.  Gth  corp. 

Wm.  MoCreary.  age  27,  private.  Co.  K;  mnst.  in  May  G,  'Gl. 

Wni.  II.  II.  Ashbni-j'.  age  20.  private,  Co.  K;  nnist.  in  May  G,  'Gl;  ro- 
.iected— loss  two  linjrers. 

Conrad  Stueker,  ase  41,  private,  Co.  K;  nnist.  in  May  G,  'Gl;  rejected 
— cause  unkn<»wn. 

.John  Coen.  ape  20.  i)rivate,  Co.  K;  must,  in  May  20.  'Gl. 

H.  G.  Judson.  aj^e  21,  private,  Co.  K;  must,  in  May  20.  'Gl. 

Harrison  Smith,  ajjo  30.  private.  Co.  K;  nnist.  in  Alay  '20,  '(51;  re- 
jected—phj-sical  disability. 

Zach.  M.  MoAlister.  ajre '23,  3d  corp.,  Co.  K;  must,  in  Nov.  1,  'Gl;  pro- 
moted fifth  sergeant. 


48  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY.  IOWA. 

SIXTH  IOWA  INFANTRY. 

Fred  F.  Weed,  age  19,  3d  ser.,  Ck>.  A;  imist.  in  July  17,  'Gl;  killed  at 

Shilob. 
Geo.  R.  Watson,  age  23,  3d  ser.,  Co.  A;  must,  in  July  17,  '61. 
Daniel  McCoy,  age  32,  1st  ser.,  Co.  A;  must,  in  Dec.  21,  'Gl. 
Edward  Freeman,  age  28,  2d  lieut.,  Co.  B;  must,  in  April  17,  '62;  re- 
signed June  11,  '62. 
Jas.  H.  Spurling,  age  29,  private,  Co.  B;  must,  in  July  17,  'Gl;  killed 

at  Shiloh. 
Andrew  J.  Egbert,  age  28,  private,  Co.  B;  must,  in  July  17,  '61. 
Isaac  R.  Flymate,  private,  Co.  B;  must,  in  July  17,  '61. 
John  Hardin,  age  19,  private,  Co.  B;  must,  in  July  17,  '61. 
Geo.  W.  Scott,  age  28,  private,  Co.  B;  must,  in  July  17,  '61. 
Lewis  Armstrong,   age  20.   private,    Co.    C;  must,   in   July   17,    '61; 

woimded  at  Shiloh. 
Solomon   Kellogg,    age  23,    private,    Co.    C;    must,    in   July   17,    '61; 

wounded  at  Shiloh  and  died  at  Keokuk. 
Jas.  Kellogg,  age  25,  private,  Co.  C;   must,  in  July  17,  '61;   wounded 

at  Shiloh  and  died  at  Keokuk. 
Walter  Smith,  age  24,  private,  Co.  C;  must,  in  July  17,  '61;  killed  at 

Shiloh. 
Robt.  F.  Stewart,  age  21,  private,  Co.  C;  must,  in  July  17,  '61. 
Henry  L.  Tucker,  age  21,  private,  Co.  C;  must,  in  July  17,  '61. 
Michael  Combs,  Jr.,  age  19,  1st  ser.,  Co.  D;  must,  in  July  17,  '61. 
Sam'l  D.  Harn,  age  20,  private,  Co.  D;  must,  in  July  17,  '61. 
Sam'l  Sumner,  age  21,  private,  Co.  D;  discharged  at  La  j\Iine  Bridge 

for  phthisis  Jan.  17,  '62. 
Thos.  Sumner,  age  34,  private,  Co.  D;  discharged  at  St.  Ix)Uis  for  con- 

STimption,  Aug.  22,  '61. 
Aimer  Swift,  age  20,  private,  Co.  D;  must,  in  July  17,  '61. 
M.  J.  SAvift,  age  21,  private,  Co.  D;  must,  in  July  17,  '61. 
Geo.  W.  Trussell,  age  43,  private,  Co.  D;  must,  in  July  17,  '61;  died 

at  Jefferson  City,  Mo.,  Oct.  29,  '61. 
Henry  Saunders,  age  39,  captain,  Co.  E;  must,  in  May  24,  '61. 
Calvin  Kelsey,  age  29,  1st  lieut,  Co.  E;  must,  in  July  1,  '61;  died  ar 

Cairo,  111.,  1865,  of  cholera. 
Leander  C.  Allison,  age  20,  1st  lieut.,  Co.  E;  must,  in  May  24,  '61: 
promoted  captain  Jan.  4,  '64;  wounded  at  Mission  Ridge. 
John  H.  Orman,  age  23,  2d  lieut.,  Co.  E;  must,  in  Feb.  17,  '62;  wound- 
ed at  Shiloh  and  resigned  Nov.  23,  '62. 
David  J.  Hayes,  age  33,  1st  ser.,  Co.  E;  must,  in  July  17,  '61;  killed 

at  Shiloh. 
Jas.  Evans,  age  25,  2d  ser.,  Co.  E;  must,  in  Jiily  17,  '61. 
Henry  Roberts,  age  25,  3d  ser.,  Co.  E;  must,  in  Sept.  27,  '62;   wounded 

at  Missionary  Ridge  and  Kenesaw  Mountain. 
Alex.  McDonald,  age  36,  4th  ser.,  Co.  E;  must,  in  Sept.  27.  '62. 
Oliver  Boardman,  age  21,  5th  ser.,  Co.  E;   must,  in  Sept.  27,  '62;  killed 

at  Black  River  Bridge,  Miss. 
Robt.  A.  WiUs,  age  21,  1st  Corp.,  Co.  E;  must,  in  Sept.  27,  '62. 
Richard  W.  Courtney,  age  30,  3d  Corp.,  Co.  E;  must,  in  Sept.  27,  '62; 
wounded  at  Griswaldsville,  Ga.,  and  discharged  for  dis- 
ability, '65. 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COVNTY,  IOWA.  49 

Elihu  Hill,  age  28,  4th  corp-,  Oo.  E;  must,  in  July  17,  'HI;  (lisoharKiMl 

for  disability  Jan.  21,  '62. 
B.  F.  Scott,  age  25,  5th  corp.,  Co.  K;  must,  in  July  17,  '01. 
Heury  Chamberlain,  age  21,  6th  corp.,  Co.  E;  must,  in  Sept.  27,  '(;2. 
Wm.  Jenkins,  age  37,  7th  corp.,  Co.  E;  must,  in  July  17,  '61. 
Henry  Roberts,  age  24,  Sth  corp.,  Co.  E;  must,  in  July  17,  '(>1. 
Owen  J.  Prindle,  age  21,  Sth  corp.,  Co.  E;  must,  in  Sept.  27,  '62. 
David  C.  Ely,  age  27,  5th  ser.,  Co.  E;  must,  in  Jiily  17,  '61. 
Henry  Chamberhiin,  age  21,  5th  corp.,  Co.  E;   must,  in  Sept.  27,  '62. 
Hiram  Hull,  age 31,  6th  corp.,  Co.  E;  must,  in  July  17,  "(H;  (liscliargod 

at  Keokiik,  Nov.  25,  '62,  for  chronic  diarrhea. 
Geo.  W.  Hibbard,  age  20,  7th  corp.,  Co.  E;  must,  in  Sept.  27,  '62. 
Jas.  Amber,  age  31,  private,  Co.  E;  must,  in  July  17,  '61;  dischargetl 

at  St.  Louis,  April  2,  '62. 
John  A.  Bm-ris.  age  27.  private.  Co.  E;  must,  in  July  17,  '61;  died  at 

Sedalia,  Nov.  17,  '61,  of  congestion  of  brain. 
Geo.  A.  Brown,  age  20,  private,  Co.  E;  must,  in  July  17,  '61;  wounded 

at  Shiloh. 
Josiah  N.  De  Tar,  age  20,  private,  Co.  E;  must,  in  July  17.  '61. 
Grandon  Hendrix,  age  20,  private,   Co.  E;     must,   in  July  17,   '61; 

wounded  at  Shiloh. 
Matthew  W.  Kemper,  age  25.  private,  Co.  E;  must,  in  July  17,  '(51. 
Thos.  J.  Smith,  age  22,  private,  Co.  E;  must,  in  July  17,  '61;  wounded 

at  Shiloh. 
Isaac  Lafever,  age  29,  musician,  Co.  E;   must,  in  July  17,  '61. 
Noah  Carmach.  age  29,  private,  Co.  E;  must,  in  July  17,  '61;  wounded 

at  Shiloh. 
Thos.  B.  Buchanan,  age  30,  wagoner,  Co.  E;  must,  in  July  17,  '61;  dis- 
charged for  disability,  Dec.  4,  '61. 
"Wni.  Bradley,  age  24,  private,  Co.  E;  must,  in  JiUy  17,  '61;  died  at 

IMemphis  of  brain  fever,  July  3,'62. 
Thos.  Baker,  age  19,  private,  Co.  E;  must,  in  July  17,  '61;  wounded 

at  Shiloh. 
Elijah  P.  Bradley,  age  20,  private,  Co.  E;  must,  in  July  17,  '61. 
Cyrus  Blue,  age  IS.  private,  Co.  E;  must,  in  July  17.  '61;  woundcvl 

at   Shiloh. 
Calvin  Barnard,  age  21,  private,  Co.  E;  must,  in  July  17,  '61;  woimded 

at  Dallas,  Ga. 
Edward  A.  Canning,  age  23,  private,  Co.  E;  must,  in  July   17.  "61; 

promoted  to  1st  lieutenant,  1S()3. 
Wm.  B.  Crawford,  age  26,  private,  Co.  E;   must,  in  July  17,  '61;   killed 

at  Shiloh. 
Samson  Cooper,  age  26,  private,  Co.  E;  must,   in  July  17,   '(!1;  dis- 
charged at  St.  Louis  for  disability. 
David  Cooper,  age  23.  private,  Co.   E;    nnist.   in  July  17,   't»l ;     dis- 

chai-g(Hl  at  Syracuse,  Mo.,  for  hepatitis. 
John  E.  Carhart.  aire  21. 
Chas.  H.  Claver.  age  20,  private,  Co.  E;  must,  in  July  17.  '61;  wnuiidcl 

at  Shiloh. 
David  S.  Cone,  age  21,  private,  Co.  E;  must,  in  July  17.  "61;  discharged 

in  1S62  for  lameness. 
Will.  CoUett,  age  21.  orivate.  Co.  E;  must,  in  July  17.  '61. 
Patrick  Conway,  private,  Co.  E;  must,  in  July  17,  '61. 


50  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

Jas.  B.  Duncan,  age  21,  private,  Co.  E;  must,  in  July  17,  '61;  killed 

at  Shiloh. 
Oliver  P.  Evans,  age  21;  private,  Co.  E;  must,  in  July  17,  '61;  killed 

at  Shiloh. 
John  Easter,  age  21,  private,  Co.  E;  must,  in  July  17,  '61. 
Alexander  Easter,  age  19,  private,  Co.  E ;  must,  in  July  17,  '61. 
Thos.  Fullerton,  age  21,  private,  Co.  E;  must,  in  July  17,  '61;  wound- 
ed at  Shiloh  and  died  of  wounds  at  Keokuk. 
John  W.  Forrest,  age  24,  private,  Co.  E;    must,  in  July  17,  '61;    dis- 
charged for  disabilit\^  in  '62. 
Ira  W.  Gilbert,  age  20,  private,  Co.  C;  must,  in  Jidy  17,  '61;  wounded 

at  Missionary  Ridge. 
Francis  Gilbert,  age  20.  private,  Co.  E;  must,  in  July  17,  '61. 
H.  HUckenlooper,  age  21,  private,  Co.  E;  must,  in  July  17,  '61;  wound- 

at  Missionary  Ridge;  promoted  corporal. 
Levi.  S.  T.  Hatton,  age  18,  private,  Co.  E;  must,  in  Jidy  17,  '61. 
Jas.  W.  Hare,  age  18,  private,  Co.  E;  must,  in  July  17,  '61;  womided 

at   Shiloh. 
Jas.  A.  Hickcox,  age  21,  private,  Co.  E;  must,  in  July  17,  '61;  killed 

in  battle,  Jackson,  Miss. 
John  M.  Hayes,  age  28,  private,  Co.  E;  must,  in  Jidy  17,  '61. 
Willis  S.  Hayes,  age  21,  private,  Co.  E;  must,  in  July  17,  '61. 
James  M.  Hayes,  age  26.  private,  Co.  E;  must,  in  July  17,  '61. 
Ephraim  ConkUn,  age  18,  private,  Co.  E;   must,  in  Feb.  29,  '64;   add! 

tional  enlistment — three  years. 
Ira  B.  Hutchins,  age  26,  private,  Co.  E;   must,  in  Feb.  29,  '64;   died  at 

Scottsborough,  Ala. 
N.  B.  Moore,  age  22,  private,  Co.  E;    must,  in  June  28,  '64;    killed  at 

Atlanta. 
John  H.  Hiteman,  age  20,  private,  Co.  E ;  must,  in  June  28,  '64. 
Chas.  V.  Holsclaw,  age  20,  pi-ivate,  Co.  E;  must,  in  June  28,  '64;  died 

of  typhoid  fever  at  St.  Ix)uis,  Dec.  4,  '64. 
Jonathan  S.  Knight,  age  20,  private,  Co.  E;  must,  in  June  28,  '64. 
Geo.  A.  Looman,  age  21,  private,  Co.  E;  must,  in  June  28,  '64;   woimd- 

ed  at  Shiloh. 
Thos.  H.  Looman,  age  19,  private,  Co.  E;   must,  in  June  28,  '64. 
John  T.  Little,  age  18,  private,  Co.  E ;   must,  in  June  28,  '64. 
Geo.  Lee,  age  20,  private,  Co.  E;  must,  in  June  28,  '64. 
A-lbert  Myers,  age  18,  private,  Co.  E;    must,  in  June  28,  '64;   died  of 

convulsions  at  Tipton,  Mo.,  Feb.,  '62. 
O.  S.  McCoy,  age  19,  private,  Co.  E;  must,  in  March  11,  '64. 
Elias  A.  Miles,  age  22,  private,  Co.  E;  must,  in  INIarch  11,  '64;  taken 

prisoner  at  Shiloh  and  paroled. 
Josepli  McKissick,  age  25,  private,  Co.  E;  must,  in  March  11,   '04; 

Avoimded  at  Shiloh. 
Dennis  McCarty.  age  22,  private,  Co.  E;  must,  in  March  11,  '04;  died 

at  La  Mine  Bridge,  Mo.,  Jan.,  '62. 
Andrew  Mock,  age  35,  private,  Co.  E;  must,  in  March  11,  '64;  died  at 

Sedalia,  Mo.,  of  typhoid  fever,  Dec,  '61. 
Martin  Pierson,  age  2:3,  private,  Co.  E;  must,  in  March  11,  '64. 
Owen  .L  Prindle,  age  21,  private,  Co.  E;  must,  in  March  11,  '64;  pro- 
moted to  8th  corp. 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA.  51 

John  T.  S.  Price,  age  19,  private.  Co.  E:  must  in  March  11,  '64;  dis- 
charged at  La  Mine  Bridge  for  debility,  Jan.  2,  'G2. 

Robt.  B.  Rumsey,  age  23.  private,  Co.  E;  mvLst.  in  March  11,  '64;  dis- 
charged for  disability  at  Memphis. 

Henry  Roberts,  age  24,  private,  Co.  E;  must,  in  March  11.  '(U. 

Allan  Roberts,  a^e  19,  private,  Co.  E;  must,  in  March  11.  '64;  dis- 
charged for  disability. 

Ashbel  Six^rry,  age  25,  private,  Co.  E;  must,  in  Mai-ch  11,  '64;  trans- 
feiTed  to  Sth  Iowa  Infanti-y,  Company  C. 

Wni.  Swayny,  age  21,  private,  Co.  E;  must,  in  March  11,  '64;  killed  at 
Shiloh. 

Thos.  J.  Smith,  age  22,  private,  Co.  E;  must,  in  March  11,  '64;  wound- 
ed at  Shiloh. 

John  W.  Service,  age  20,  private,  Co.  E;  must,  in  March  11,  '64; 
woimded  at  Shiloh. 

Saul  Swayny,  age  21,  private,  Co.  E;  must,  in  March  11,  '64. 

Jas.  H.  Turner,  age  28,  private.  Co.  E;  must,  in  March  11.  '64. 

Robt.  G.  Wallace,  age  22.  private,  Co.  E:  must,  in  March  11,  '64;  dis- 
charged at  St.  liouis  for  disability,  Dec.  19.  '61. 

Wm.  H.  Waugh.  age  20,  private,  Co.  E;  must,  in  March  11,  '64;  killed 
at  Shiloh. 

Wm.  S.  Whitmore.  age  20.  private,  Co.  E;  must,  in  March  11,  '64; 
wounded  at  Shiloh  and  discharged  at  Keokuk,  Aug.  15.  '62. 

Edward  S.  Weed,  age  21.  private,  Co.  E;  must,  in  March  11,  '64. 

Thos.  Mclvissick.  age  25,  private,  Co.  E;  must,  in  March  11,  'tVl: 
killed  at  Shiloh. 

Casper  Dull,  age  45,  private,  Co.  E;  must,  in  March  11,  '64;  rejected  on 
account  of  over  age. 

Chilo  McClean,  age  46,  private,  Co.  E;  must,  in  March  11,  '64;  reject- 
ed on  account  of  over  age. 

Thos.  J.  Poorest,  age  17,  private,  Co.  E;  must,  in  March  11,  '64;  re- 
jected—under age. 

•las.  Stoddart,  rejectetl — rheumatism. 

Milton  Cox,  age  27,  private,  Co.  E;  must,  in  Oct.  19,  '61. 

John  L.  Hairison,  age  26,  private,  Co.  E;  must,  in  Oct.  19,  '61;  killed 
at  Shiloh. 

Tlios.  Ilinton,  age  23,  private,  Co.  E;  nmst.  in  Oct.  15.  '61. 

Bi'U.  F.  Kimbler,  age  23,  private,  Co.  E;  must,  in  Oct.  19,  "61. 

Jas.  H.  Mm-phy.  age  2S,  privat?,  Co.  E;  must,  in  Oct.  19,  '61. 

las.  H.  Wills,  age  18,  private,  Co.  E;  must,  in  Oct.  15,  '61;  died  at 
St.  Ix>uis  of  diarrhea,  Ma.v  12,  '62. 

Andrew  Singer,  age  31,  private,  Co.  E;  must,  in  Oct.  17,  '61. 

Stephen  J.  Gahagan,  private,  Co.  E;  must,  in  Oct.  17,  '61;  transferred 
to  Company  K;  taken  prisoner  at  Shiloh. 

Nathaniel  Carter,  Co.  E;  must,  in  April  15,  '(!1;  died  of  woimds  re- 
ceived at  Shiloh. 

Geo.  W.  Hibbard,  age  20.  i)rivate,  Co.  E;  must,  in  July  17,  '61. 

Matthew  Kemper,  age  2."»,  Co.  E;   must,  in  July  17,  '61. 

David  C.  Ely,  age  27,  Co.  E;  must,  in  July  17,  '61;  promoted  regi- 
mental wagon  master. 

Henry  Chamberlain,  age  21,  corporal. 

Hiram  Hull,  age  31.  corp.,  Co.  E;  must,  in  July  17.  '61. 


52  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

Ge».  R.  Watson,  age  23,  private,  Co.  A;  must,  in  July  17,  '61. 

Joshua  Lee,  age  19,  Co.  C;  must,  in  July  17,  '61;  taken  prisoner  at 
Shiloh. 

Jas.  McGonegal,  age  20,  private,  Co.  C;  must,  in  July  17,  '61;  pro- 
moted corporal. 

Jas.  Amber,  age  31,  private,  Co.  E;  must,  in  July  17,  '61. 

John  Burrls,  age  27,  private,  Co.  E;  must,  in  July  17,  '61;  died  at 
Sedalia,  Mo.,  Nov.  17,  '61. 

Geo.  A.  Brown,  age  20,  private,  Co.  E;  must,  in  July  17,  '61;  wounded 
at  Shiloh. 

Josiah  N.  De  Tar,  age  20. 

Grandon  Hendrix,  age  20,  private,  Co.  E;  must,  in  July  17,  '61; 
woimded  at  Shiloh,  but  rejoined  regiment  and  served  dur- 
ing the  war. 

Hilas  Kells,  age  18,  private,  Co.  E;  must,  in  July  17,  '61;  wounded  at 
Shiloh  and  died  at  Cincinnati,  O. 

Sani'l  D.  Harn,  age  20,  private,  Co.  D;  must,  in  July  17,  '61;  woimded 
at  Missionary  Ridge. 

Michael  Combes,  Jr.,  age  19,  private,  Co.  D;  must,  in  July  17,  '61. 

Warren  Turk,  private,  Co.  G;  must,  in  July  17,  '61. 

Sam'l  Sumner,  age  21,  private,  Co.  G;  must,  in  July  17,  '61;  killed  at 
Atlanta  by  the  bm'sting  of  a  shell. 

SEVENTH  INFANTRY. 

Tobias  S.  Benson,  age  24,  3d  ser.,  Co.  F;  must,  in  Feb.  11,  '62. 
Conrad  Stoker,  age  41,  4th  ser.,  Co.  F;  must,  in  July  11,  '62. 
Calvin  Waldeu,  age  28.  private,  Co.  F;  must,  in  July  11,  '62. 
Henry  C.  Marck,  age  19,  private,  Co.  F;  must,  in  July  24,  '61. 

EIGHTH  INFANTRY. 

Henry  C.  Markham,  age  40,  cap.,  Co.  I;  must,  in  Sept.  2,  '61;  resigned 
at  Sedalia,  Dec.  21,  '61. 

Calvin  Kelsey,  age  29,  cap.  Co.  I;  must,  in  Dec.  1,  '61;  taken  prisoner 
at  Shiloh. 

John  G.  Harron,  age  27,  1st  licut.,  Co.  I;  must,  in  Sept.  12,  '61;  re- 
signed at  St.  Louis,  1861. 

Andrew  Robb,  age  51,  2d  lieut,  Co.  I;  must,  in  Sept.  12,  '61;  resigned 
at  Sedalia,  1861. 

Jas.  Noffsinger,  age  27,  1  ser.,  Co.  I;  must,  in  Sept.  12,  '61;  died  of 
dysentery  at  Camp  Sherman,  Miss.,  Sept.  10,  '63. 

Thos.  R.  Robb,  age  26,  2d  ser.,  Co.  I;  must,  in  Sept.  12,  '61;  killed  at 
Shiloh. 

Porters  W.  Codner,  age  24,  3d  ser.,  Co.  I;  must,  in  Sept.  12,  '61. 

Albert  Haywood,  age  24,  4th  ser.,  Co.  I;  must,  in  Sept.  12,  '61. 

Robt.  Fullerton,  age  18,  5th  ser.,  Co.  I;  must,  in  Sept.  12,  '61;  died  of 
wounds  at  St.  Louis,  Oct.  21,  '61. 

.Jonathan  C.  Payne,  age  27,  5th  ser.,  Co.  1;  must,  in  Sept.  12,  '61; 
taken  prisoner  at  Shiloh. 

John  F.  Wright,  age  25,  6th  ser.,  Co.  I;  must,  in  Sept.  12,  '61. 

Robt.  M.  Myers,  age  27,  1st  Corp.,  Co.  I;  must,  in  Sept.  12,  '61;  dis- 
charged at  St.  Louis  for  disability,  Oct.  21,  '61. 


nrSTORY  01'  MONROE  COUNTY,  TOW  A.  53 

Michael  Caboo,  ajre  27.  1st  Corp..  Co.  I;   must,  in  Sti)t.  12,  Mil;   taken 

prisoner  at  Shiloli. 
Elias  C.  Hunter,  aj;e  2G,  2(1  Corp..  Co.  I;  must,  iu  Sept.  12,  '01. 
John  Haver,  2d  lieut.  Co.  I:  nuist.  in  Sept.  12,  'Gl. 
.Ti>st>pli  N.  L.von,  Co.  I;    must,  in  June  24,  'Gl. 
Wni.  Kelsoy,  ajLce  10.  3(1  Corp.,  Co.  1;  nuist.  in  Sept.  12,  'Gl ;  taken  pris 

oner  at  Shiloli. 
Henry  .ludson,  ajre  22,  Gth  Corp..  Co.  I;  nmst.  in  Sept.  12,  '01;  reduced 

to  raidcs  at  Keokuk  for  disoln^dieuee.  Nov.  10,  'G2. 
Henrv  Gordon,  ase  21,  3d  Corp.,  Co.  I;  must,  in  Sept.  12,  '01 ;  killed  at 

Shilph. 
Martin  Achesoii.  age  22,  7th  Corp.,  Co.  I;  must,  in  Sept.  12,  '01;  woiuid- 

ed  at  Corinth,  Oct.  4.  '02. 
Jas.  Cattern,  age  44,  Sth  corp..  Co.  I;   must,  in  Sept.  12,  "Gl;   reduced 

to  ranks  at  Keokuk  fi>r  disobedience. 
(IcK).  T.  Lease,  age  39,  Sth  corp.,  Co.  I;  nmst.  iu  Aug.  10,  '01;  taken 

prisoner  at  Shiloh. 
David  Carter,  age  19,  private,  Co.  I;  must,  in  Sept.  12,  '01. 
Tlios.  Ellison,  age  42,  wagoner,  Co.  I;   must,  iu  Nov.  10.  '01. 
Isam  Adcox,  age  23,  private,  Co.  I;  must,  in  Sept.  12,  '01;  discliarged 

at  St.  liOiiis,  March  13,  '02,  for  disabilitj'. 
.T.  A.  Rreckel.  age  22.  private.  Co.  1;  must,  in  Sept.  12,  '01;  taken  pris- 
oner at  Shiloh. 
David  Carter,  age  19.  private,  Co.  I;  nuist.  in  Sept.  12.  '01. 
Cluus.  Covert,  age  24,  private,  Co.  I;  must,  iu  Sept.  12,  "01. 
Nathaniel  D.  Clark,  age  IS,  private,  Co.  I;   must,  in  Sept.  12.  '01. 
Chas.  E.  Fox,  age  35,  private,  Co.  I;  must,  in  Sept.  12,  '01;  wounded 

in  right  shoulder. 
Will.  Z.  Free,  age  23,  private,  Co.  I;    must,  iu  Sept.  12,  '61;  promoted 

to  Gth  corporal. 
Henry  C.  Gordon,  age  21. 

Wm.Il.  Hittle,  age  IS.  privat(S  Co.  I;  must,  in  Sept.  12,  '01. 
Daniel  Hammer,  age  24,  private,  Co.  I;  must,  in  Sept.  12,  '01. 
.rolin  Holmes,  age  18,  private,  Co.  1;  nuist.  iu  Sept.  12,  '01;  dieil  of 

fever  at  Quincy,  Mo.,  March  KJ,  '02. 
Cyrus  .Tudd,  age  25,  private,  Co.  I;  must,  iu  Sept.  12,  '01. 
.lolui  .Tudson,  age  25,  private,  Co.  1;  must,  iu  Sept.  12,  '01;  died  in  hos- 

pitiil,  St.  Louis,  Nov.  20,  'Gl. 
Harlow  Judson.  age  IS,  private,  Co.  1;    must,  in  Sept.  12,  '01;    taken 

prisoner. 
Kobt.  Ivevel,  Jr.,  age  21,  private,  Co.  I;  must,  in  Sept.  12,  'Gl;  taken 

prisoner  at  Shiloh. 
Wm.  McMichael.  age  43.  private,  Co.  I;  must,  in  Sept.  12,  'Gl;  taken 

prisoner  at  Shiloh. 
Chas.  McClain.  age  44,  private,  Co.  I;  must,  in  Sept.  12,  '01;  killed 

at  Shiloh. 
Milc»s  WcKxlford,  age  IS,  private,  Co.  I;  nuist.  in  Sept.  12,  '01. 
Albert  C.  Nolan,  age  22,  private,  Co.  1;    must,  iu  Sept.  12,  '01;    dis- 
charged for  disability  at  Corinth.  June  14,  '02. 
Wm.  H.  H.  Paisley,  age  21.  privat(\  Co.  I;   must,  in  Sept.  12.  '01;   dis- 
charged for  worthle.ssness  at  Seilalia,  Feb.  10,  '02. 
Albert  Paisley,  age  IS,  private,  Co.  1;    must,  iu  Sept.  12,  'Gl;    dis- 

chargeil  for  worthlessness  at  Sodalia,  Feb.  10,  '02. 


54  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  tOWA. 

Elijah  Robb,  age  18,  pinvate,  Co.  I;  must,  in  Sept.  12,  '61. 

Silas  R.  Shipley,  age  37,  private,  Co.  I;  must,  in  Sept.  12,  '61;  dis- 
charged by  order  of  Gen.  Ord  at  Corinth,  July  5,  '62. 

Amosy  E.  Sweet,  age  22,  private,  Co.  I;  must,  in  Sept.  12,  '61;  dis- 
charged for  worthlessness  at  Sedalia,  Feb.  15,  '62. 

Sylvester  A.  Sperry,  age  28,  private,  Co.  I;  must,  in  Sept.  12,  '61;  dis- 
charged for  worthlessness  at  Sedalia,  Feb.  15,  '62. 

Andrew  Singer,  age  31,  private,  Co.  I;  must,  in  Sept.  12,  '61;  trans- 
ferred to  Co.  E,  6th  Iowa  Infantry,  Oct.  17,  '61. 

Oliver  T.  Taylor,  age  18,  private,  Co.  I;  must,  in  Sept.  12,  '61;  taken 
prisoner  at  Shiloh. 

Wm.  A.  Trowbridge,  age  18,  private,  Co.  I;  must,  in  Sept.  12,  '61;  dis- 
charged for  disability  at  Sedalia,  Mo.,  Feb.  4,  '62. 
*Wm.  J.  Welshire,  age  41,  private,  Co.  I;   must,  in  Sept.  12,  '61;   trans- 
ferred to  First  Nebraska  Infantry,  Dec.  31,  '61. 

John  A.  Wright,  age  25,  private,  Co.  I;  must,  in  Sept.  12,  '61. 

Geo.  Opie,  age  18,  private,  Co.  I;  must,  in  Oct.  8,  '61. 

THIRTEENTH  INFANTRY. 

Jas.  M.  Robb,  age  25,  1st  lieut,  Co.  H;  must,  in  Sept.  17,  '62;  enlisted 
as  private  Nov.  21,  '61. 

John  A.  Robb,  age  16,  musician,  Co.  H;  must,  in  Nov.  2,  '61. 

Jas.  G.  Boyle,  age  19,  private,  Co.  H;  must,  in  Nov.  2,  '61;  discharged 
for  chronic  diari'hea,  Oct.  23,  '62. 

Jas.  Bain,  age  21,  private,  Co.  H;  must,  in  Nov.  2,  '61. 

David  M.  Conley,  age  19,  private,  Co.  H;   must,  in  Nov.  2,  '61. 

Thos.  Elder,  age  20,  private,  Co.  H;  must,  in  Nov.  2,  '61;  woimded  in 
foot  at  Shiloh. 

Jas.  C.  Eggin,  age  24,  private,  Co.  H;  must,  in  Nov.  2,  '61;  wounded 
in  arm  at  Vicksburg. 

W.  D.  Harrison,  age  18,  private,  Co.  H;  must,  in  Nov.  2,  '61. 

Sam'l  Little,  age  18,  private,  Co.  H;  must,  in  Nov.  2,  '61;  died  at  Mont- 
erey, Tenn.,  May  26,  '62. 

Louis  A.  Meeks,  age  24,  private,  Co.  H;  must,  in  Nov.  2,  '61;  deserted. 

Harvey  W.  Norman,  age  21,  private,  Co.  H;  must,  in  Nov.  2,  '61: 
wounded  at  Atlanta,  Ga. 

Thos.  Porter,  age  27,  private,  Co.  H;  must,  in  Nov.  2,  '61. 

Alex.  C.  Watson,  age  18,  private,  Co.  H;  must,  in  Nov.  2,  '61;  wound 
ed  in  mouth  at  Atlanta. 

Chris.  C.  Woodcock,  age  20,  private,  Co.  H;  must,  in  Nov.  2,  '61;  died 
at  Monterey,  Tenn.,  May  26,  '02. 

Hardin  Wilson,  age  27,  private,  Co.  C;  must,  in  Jan.  1,  '64. 

Alva  F.  Woodcock,  age  19,  private,  Co.  H;  must,  in  Nov.  2,  '61. 

Geo.  R.  Robinson,  age  32,  private,  Co.  D;  must,  in  July  25,  '64;  wound- 
ed slightly  at  Stephenson,  Ala.,  and  again  at  Kingston,  N. 
C,  March  9,  '65. 

Jas.  R.  McDonald,  age  19,  private,  Co.  H;  must,  in  Oct.  15,  '61. 

John  M.  Kuhn,  age  23,  private,  Co.  H;  must,  in  Oct.  15,  '61. 

FIFTEENTH   INFANTRY. 

Geo.  W.  Kuhn,  age  29,  6th  corp.,  Co.  I;  must,  in  March  29,  '62;  died 
of  wounds  at  Keokuk,  May  11,  '62. 


HISTORY  OF  MOyROE  COUNTY,  IOWA.  55 

Geo.  Audersou,  ajio  4rt,  private,  Co.  I;  must,  in  Jan.  24,  '62;  trans- 
ferred to  Co.  K,  ITtli  Iowa  lul'anti-y,  March  1,  '62. 

David  Boon,  ago  45,  private,  Co.  I;  must,  in  Jan.  24,  '62;  dischai'ged 
for  disability  at  St.  Louis,  May  25,  '62. 

Jolm  A.  McGee,  age  29,  private,  Co.  I;  must,  in  Jan.  24,  '62;  severely 
wounded  iu  jaw  at  Corinth. 

Marshal  H.  Wilson,  age  21,  private,  Co.  I;  must,  in  Jan.  24.  '62;  killt-d 
at  Shiloh. 

SEVENTEENTH   INFANTRY. 

Oliver  B.  Smith,  age  20,  private,  Co.  F;  must,  in  Jan.  24,  '62. 

David  A.  Craig,  age 29,  cap.,  Co.  H;  must,  in  April  11,  '62. 

Chas.  Eubanks.  age  "29,  5th  ser.,  Co.  H;   must,  in  April  11,  '62. 

Jas.  Craig,  age  20,  1st  ser..  Go.  II;  must,  in  April  11,  '62. 

Jackson  Johnson,  age  21,  5tli  corp.,  Co.  H;  must,  in  April  11,  '62. 

Thos.  Beezley,  age  21,  6th  ser.,  Co.  H;  must,  in  April  11,  '62. 

Oliver  >I.  Archer,  age  20,  private,  Co.  H;  must,  iu  April  11,  '62. 

Wm.  H.  Cummings.  age  22,  private,  Co.  H;  must,  in  April  11,  '62. 

Noah  Clodfelter,  age  IS,  private,  Co.  H;  must,  in  April  11,  '62;  dis- 
charged at  Corinth,  Nov.  20,  '62— disability. 

Dominic  Ciu-r,  age  27,  private,  Co.  II;  must,  in  April  11,  '62;  promoted 
3d  sergeant,  captured  at  Missionary  Ridge. 

Sam'l  Enochs,  age  19,  private,  Co.  H;  must,  in  April  11,  '62. 

John  Fitzpa trick,  age  23,  private,  Co.  H;  must,  in  April  11,  '62. 

Joseph  Hollingshead,  age  19,  private,  Co.  H;   must,  in  April  11,  '62. 

Wm.  Ililliard,  age  42,  private,  Co.  H;  must,  in  April  11,  '62;  dis- 
charged for  disability  at  St.  Louis,  June  8,  '62. 

Aaron  V.  Howard,  age  18,  private,  Co.  H;  must,  in  April  11,  '62;  died 
at  Keokuk  of  congestion  of  brain,  April  15,  '62. 

Isaac  Link,  age  IS,  private,  Co.  H;  must,  in  April  11,  '62. 

Sam  N.  Link,  age  18,  private,  Co.  H;  must,  in  April  11,  '62. 

John  McCoj',  age  19,  private,  Co.  H;  must,  in  April  11,  '62. 

Chas.  McMichael,  age  18,  private,  Co.  H;  nuist.  in  April  11,  '62. 

Thos.  M.  Paisley,  age  18,  private,  Co.  II;  must,  in  April  11,  '62;  dieil 
of  dysentery  at  St.  Louis,  May  25,  '62. 

John  W.  Sage. 

Cyi'il  Tempton,  age  24,  private,  Co.  H;  must,  in  April  11,  '62. 

Alexander  Trimble,  age  18,  private,  Co.  II;  must,  in  April  11,  '62. 

Simon  D.  Mock,  age  21,  privat*'.  Co.  H;  must,  in  April  11,  '62. 

Robt.  M.  Mock,  age  22,  private,  Co.  II;  must,  in  April  11,  '62. 

Wm.  A.  AValkei",  age  33,  private,  Co.  K;  nuist.  in  March  7,  '61. 

(ieo.  Anderson,  age  44,  private,  Co.  K;  miLst.  in  Marcli  1,  '62;  joined 
Co.  I,  15th  Inft.,  and  discharged  for  disability  July  12,  '62. 

Geo.  Rybolt,  age  32,  4th  corp.,  Co.  K;  nnist.  in  Aitril  16,  '62. 

John  Anderson,  age  19,  private,  Co.  K;  must,  in  Ai)ril  16,  '62;  wound 
ed  slightly  in  arm  at  luka.  Miss.,  Sept.  19,  '62. 

David  Warner,  age  19,  private,  Co.  K;  must,  in  April  16,  '62. 

EIGHTEENTH  INFANTRY." 

G.  W.  Vanci',  age  27,  1st  Corp.,  Co.  C;  must,  in  Aug.  8,  '62. 
John  F.  Evans,  age  22,  2d  corp.,  Co.  C;  must,  in  Aug.  8,  '62. 
Sam'l  F.  Newell,  ago  24.  5th  corp.,  Co.  C;  nnist.  in  Aug.  S,  '(5i* 


56  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

Victory  F.  Aubrey,  age  34,  7th  Corp.,  Co.  C;  must,  in  Aug.  8,  '62. 
E.  A.  Couchman,  age  IS,  private,  Co.  C;  must,  in  Aug.  8,  '62. 
David  H.  Easley,  age  18,  private,  Co.  C;  must,  in  Aug.  8,  '62. 
P.  H.  Fitzpatrick,  age  21,  private,  Co.  C;  must,  in  Aug.  8,  '62;  wounded 

slightly. 
Abraham  Iseley,  age  18,  private,  Co.  C;  must,  in  Aug.  8,  '62. 
Stoddard  Jenison,  age  24,  private,  Co.  C;  must,  in  Aug.  8,  '62. 
Jas.  M.  Kemper,  age  24,  private,  Co.  C;  must,  in  Aug.  8,  '62. 
John  F.  McClure,  age  27,  private,  Co.  C;  must,  in  Aug.  8,  '62. 
Andrew  H.  Howard,  age  19,  private,  Co.  F;  must,  in  Aug.  8,  '62. 

TWENTY-SECOND  INFANTRY. 

Robt.  M.  Wilson,  age  47,  cap.,  Co.  D;  must,  in  Sept.  10,  '62. 

Wm.  Phinny.  age  28,  lieut,  Co.  D;  must,  in  Aug.  27,  '62. 

Matthew  A.  Robb,  age  28,  2d  lieut.,  Co.  D;  must,  in  Aug.  26,  '62. 

N.  B.  Humphry,  age  22,  1st  ser.,  Co.  D;  must,  in  Aug.  26,  '62. 

Ricliard  W.  Shahan,  age  38,  2d  ser.,  Co.  D;  must,  in  Aug.  27,  '62;  dis- 
chai-ged  for  disability,  Aug.  4,  '63. 

M.  Ti.  Clenimons,  age  30,  3d  ser.,  Co.  D;  must,  in  Aug.  27,  '62;  wound- 
ed slightlj'  in  left  thigh  at  Vicksburg. 

Nathaniel  Hays,  age  43,  4th  ser.,  Co.  D;  must,  in  Aug.  28,  '02. 

.rohn  W.  Flynn,  age  25,  5th  ser.,  Co.  D;  must,  in  Aug.  27.  '62. 

N.  T.  Frederick,  age  21,  1st  corp.,  Co.  D;  must,  in  Aug.  20,  '62. 

Nathaniel  G.  Teas,  age  33,  2d  ser.,  Co.  D;  niu-^t.  in  Aug.  26,  '02;  killed 
in  battle  at  Vicksbiu'g. 

Newt.  B.  Gordon,  age  30,  3d  corp.,  Co.  D;  must,  in  Aug.  20,  '02. 

Thos.  B.  Buchanan,  age  32,  4th  corp.,  Co.  D;  must,  in  Aug.  20,  '02. 

Chas.  H.  Stephenson,  age  21,  5th  corp.,  Co.  D;  must,  in  Aug.  20,  '02; 
captui'ed  Sept.  19,  '04,  at  Winchester. 

Eleven  Hambler,  age  21,  0th  corp.,  Co.  D;  must,  in  Aug.  27,  '02;  dis- 
charged Feb.  4,  '63,  for  disability. 

Geo.  W.  Buchanan,  age  21,  Olh  corp.,  Co.  D;  nuist.  in  Dec.  24,  '02; 
wounded  slightly  in  the  head  at  Vicksburg. 

Hai-ry  M.  Gibson,  age  27,  7th  corp.,  Co.  D;   must,  in  Aug.  26,  '62. 

John  B.  Grimes,  age  21,  7th  corp.,  Co.  D;  must,  in  Sept.  28,  '62. 

Ferdinand  Wood,  age  34,  Sth  Corp.,  Co.  D;  miist.  in  Aug.  26,  '02; 
wounded  at  Vicksbm'g  and  transferred  to  invalid  corps. 

Chester  W.  Farrar,  age  27,  musician,  Co.  D;  must,  in  Aug.  28,  '62; 
killed  at  Vicksburg. 

Benjamin  Drummond,  age  39,  wagoner,  Co.  D;  must,  in  Aug.  26,  '02; 
transferred  to  Veteran  Reserve  Corps. 

Amos  Adkison,  age  27,  private,  Co.  D;  must,  in  Aug.  30,  '02. 

Jas.  V.  Adkison,  age  22,  private,  Co.  D;   must,  in  Aug.  27,  '62. 

E.  L.  Anderson,  age  22,  private,  Co.  D;  Aug.  20,  '02;  womided  at 
A^'icksburg,  May  27,  and  died  of  wounds  May  24,  '03. 

Francis  M.  Anderson,  age  18,  private,  Co.  D;  must,  in  Aug.  27,  '02. 

John  Burch,  age  24,  private,  Co.  D;   must,  in  Aug.  28,  '62. 

Sam'l  Byerley,  age  21,  private,  Co.  D;  must,  in  Aug.  26,  '62;  killed  at 
Cedar  Creek,  Oct.  19,  1804. 

AVm.  Barber,  age  35,  private,  Co.  D;  must,  in  Aug.  27,  '62. 

J.  T.  Bellman,  age  30,  private,  Co.  D;  miist.  in  Aug.  27,  '62. 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA.  57 

AbiUT  Barnard,  age  21,  private,  Co.  D;  must,  in  Aug.  27,  '02;  Ivilled  at 

Viclvsbiu'g. 
Ileury  ,M.  Collins,  age  25,  private,  Co.  D;  must,  in  Aug.  27,  '62. 
W.  W.  Cook,  age  25,  private,  Co.  D;  must,  in  Aug.  2(>,  '02;  wo\uule<l 

at  Cedar  Creek,  Jan.  10,  and  died  Jan.  2,  '05. 
Win.  Conway,  age  41.  private,  Co.  D;  must,  in  Aug.  27,  '02. 
Aequillia  Combs,  age  33,  private,  Co.  D;  nuist.  in  Aug.  20,  '02. 
S.  11.  Conley,  age  21,  private,  Co.  D;   nuist.  in  A\ig.  27,  '02;  captured 

at  Vieksburg;  woimded  at  Cedar  Creek. 
Elviu  Drummoud,  age  29,  private,  Co.  D;  must,  in  Aug.  27,  '02;  killctl 

at  Vicksbm'g. 
David  Darrow,  age  22,  private,  Co.  D;  nnist.  in  Aug.  20,  '02. 
H.  Drummond,  age  27,  private,  Co.  D;  must,  in  Ang.  27,  '02;  killed  at 

Vicksbm'g. 
Adrian  Durby,  age  25,  private.  Co.  D;  must,  in  Aug.  27,  '()2;  trans- 
ferred to  invalid  corps  Jan.  15,  '04. 
Chas.  M.  Forrest,  age  17,  private,  Co.  D;  must,  in  Feb.  13,  '04. 
E.  F.  Eshom,  age  18,  private,  Co.  D;    must,  in  Aug.  20,  '02;    died  at 

New  Orleans,  j\lo.,  of  dysentin-y,  July  21,  '04. 
Jas.  A.  Eshom,  age  23,  private,  Co.  D;  must,  in  Aug.  27,  '02;  killed 

at  Vieksburg. 
Geo.  ^\.  Eshom,  age  21,  private,  Co.  D;  must,  in  Aug.  20,  '02;  dietl  of 

typhoid  fever  at  Kolla,  ]\[o.,  Dec.  17,  '(>2. 
Andrt'W  Eccles,  age  29,  private.  Co.  D;  nmst.  in  Aug.  27,  '02;  died  at 

Vicksbiu'g  of  typhoid  pmnimonia. 
Thos.  J.  I'\>rest,  age  21,  private,  Co.  D;  must,  in  Aiig.  20,  '02;  dis- 
charged Dec.  19,  '02,  for  debility, 
('has.  B.  Foshier,  age  24,  private,  Co.  D;  must,  in  Aug.  27,  '02;  died 

Dec.  19,  '02. 
Sanford  11.  Fuller,  age  27,  private,  Co.  D;  must,  in  Aug.  27,  '02. 
John  F..  Grimes,  age  21,  private,  Co.  D;  must,  in  Aug.  27,  '02;  pro- 
moted 7th  Corp.  and  died  on  steamer  Citif  of  Memphis,  Jime 

9.  '03,  of  typhoid  fever. 
John  U.  Hittle,  age  28,  private,  Co.  D;  must,  in  Aug.  27,  '02. 
Thos.  B.  Hickenlooper,  age  20,  private,  Co.  D;  must,  in  Aug.  28,  '02. 
Philip  Hertzer,  age  18,  private,  Co.  D;  nuist.  in  Aug.  28,  '02;  captured 

at  Indianola,  Tex..  Feb.  22,  '04. 
Wm.  Ilardenbrook,  age  18,  private,  Co.  I);  must,  in  Aug.  27.  '02;  dis- 

charge<l  for  disability,  Feb.  2.5.  '03. 
J.  H.  Holbrook,  age  41,  private,  Co.  D;  nuist.  in  Aug.  28.  '02;  wounded 

at  Winchester,  S-^pt.  19,  TA,  and  died  Sept.  20.  '09. 
Isaac  Hayes,  ag«^  19,  private,  Co.  D;  nuist.  in  Aug.  27,  '02. 
Horace  H.  Judson.  age  23,  private,  Co.  D;  must,  in  Aug.  27,  '02. 
J.  A.  Kesler.  ag(>  24.  private,  Co.  D;  must,  in  Aug.  27,  '02. 
Henry  Krilzer,  ago  25,  private,  <'o.  D;  must,  in  Aug.  27,  '62;  captiu'ed 

Sept.  19,  '04.  at  Winchester,  Va.. 
Wm.  Lundy,  age  31,  private.  Co.  D;  must,  in  Aug.  20,  '02. 
Sam'l  Lloyd,  age  31,  private,  Co.  D;  must,  in  Aug.  20,  '02;  woundi'd 

and  captured  at  Vick.sburg  and  died  of  wounds  June  8,  '03. 
Jas.  Lindsay,  age  28,  private,  Co.  D;  nuist.  in  Aug.  27,  '(52;  killed  at 

Vieksburg. 
G.  W.  liefever,  age  24,  private,  Co.  D;   must,  in  Aug.  27,  '02;  wounded 

severely  In  foot  at  Winchester  and  ditnl  Oct.  2(5,  '(>4. 


58  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

Geo.  H.  Miller,  age  27,  private,  Co.  D;  must,  in  Aug.  27,  '62;  killed  at 
Vicksburg. 

Cornelius  E.  Miller,  age  18,  private,  Co.  D;  must,  in  Aug.  27,  '02. 

Geo.  W.  McManis,  age  22,  private,  Co.  D;  must,  in  Aug.  26,  '62. 

O.  S.  McCoy,  age  18,  private,  Co.  D;  must,  in  Aug.  27,  '62;  discharged 
for  disabiUty,  June  26,  '63. 

Alex.  McCahan,  age  21,  private,  Co.  D;  must,  in  Aug.  27,  '62. 

Jacob  D.  Mock,  age  35,  private,  Co.  D;  must,  in  Aug.  27,  '62;  woimded 
slightly  in  right  foot.  May  22,  '63. 

Jas.  A.  JMoore,  age  19,  private,  Co.  D;  must,  in  Aug.  27,  '62;  wounded 
severely  in  hip  at  Cedar  Creek. 

Cy.  T.  McConnell,  age  21,  private,  Co.  D;  must,  in  Aug.  27,  '62; 
wounded  May  22,  '63,  and  discharged  Jan.  29,  '64. 

Geo.  W.  Maiden,  age  21,  private,  Co.  D;  must,  in  Aug.  28,  '62;  killed 
at  Vicksbm'g. 

Isaac  IMock,  age  18,  private,  Co.  D;  must,  in  Aug.  26,  '62;  died  July 
18,  '63,  on  steamer  Crescent  City. 

W.  H.  Needham,  age  21,  private,  Co.  D;  must,  in  Aug.  27,  '62. 

W.  H.  Norman,  age  21,  private,  Co.  D;  must,  in  Aug.  27,  '62. 

C.  C.  Pyeatt,  age  19,  private,  Co.  D;  must,  in  Aug.  26,  '62;  died  of 
disease.  May  2,  '63,  at  Milliken's  Bend,  La, 

Jacob  S.  Ray,  age  29,  private,  Co.  D;  must,  in  Aug.  27,  '62;  wounded 
and  died  June  12,  '63,  at  Memphis,  Tenn. 

Sani'l  Rose,  age  43,  private,  Co.  D;  must,  in  Aug.  26,  '62;  died  of 
chronic  diarrhea  at  New  Orleans,  Sept.  28,  '63. 

Wm.  M.  lUmnells,  age  18,  private,  Co.  D;  must,  in  Aug.  26,  '62. 

John  A.  Robb,  age  31,  private,  Co.  D;  must,  in  Aug.  26,  '62;  killed  at 
Vicksburg. 

H.  r.  Rogers,  age  21,  private,  Co.  D;  must,  in  Aug.  26,  '62;  captured 
May  22,  '63,  and  died  Jan.  5,  '65,  of  diarrhea. 

Noble  A.  Rogers,  age  27,  private,  Co.  D;  must,  in  Aug.  27,  '62; 
drowned  at  St.  Louis,  Sept.  18,  '62. 

Arthur  Rose,  age  18,  private,  Co.  D;  must,  in  Aug.  30,  '62;  deserted. 

Hugh  Sinclair,  age  21,  private,  Co.  D;  must,  in  Aug.  27,  '62. 

P.  S.  Stone,  age  30,  private,  Co.  D;  must,  in  Aug.  27,  '62. 

Ashbill  Sperry,  age  26,  private,  Co.  D;  must,  in  Aug.  26,  '62. 

Clias.  M.  Smith,  age  18,  private,  Co.  D;  must,  in  Aug.  27,  '62;  died 
Jan.  3,  '64,  of  typhoid  fever,  at  Mustang  Island,  Tex. 

N.  P.  T.  Smith,  age  18,  private,  Co.  D;  must,  in  Aug.  27,  '02;  dis- 
charged for  disability,  June  26,  '63. 

Wni.  H.  Salyer,  age  22,  private,  Co.  D;  must,  in  Aug.  27,  '62;  trans- 
ferred Sept.  15,  '63,  for  promotion  in  2d  Mass.  Vols. 

Tlios.  B.  Tate,  age  21,  private,  Co.  D;  must,  in  Aug.  27,  '02;  wounded 
May  22,  '03,  and  discharged  Jan.  29,  '64,  for  disability. 

Fretl.  A.  Tibbals,  age  44,  private,  Co.  D;  must,  in  Aug.  27,  '62;  dis- 
charged for  disability,  June  4,  '63. 

J.  N.  Van  Pelt,  age  26,  pi-ivate,  Co.  D;  must,  in  Aug.  27,  '62;  wounded 
severely  in  the  head  and  leg  at  Winchester,  Sept.  J9,  '64, 
and  discharged  for  disability,  Jan.  30,  '05. 

Thos.  J.  Wilson,  age  31,  private,  Co.  D;  must,  in  Aug.  30,  '62. 

Joel  Webb,  age  24,  private,  Co.  D;  must,  in  Aug.  27,  '62;  captured  at 
Cedar  Creek,  Oct.  19,  '64. 


UISTOKY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA.  59 

Abraham  "NVallick,  ajjje  42.  private,  Co.  D;  must,  in  Aug.  27,  '02;  trans- 

ferrocl  to  Invalid  Corps. 
J.  L.  D.  "Williamson,  age  38,  private,  Co.  D;  must,  in  Aug.  20,  '02;   de- 
serted Sept.  28,  '02. 
W.  C.  Wilson,  age  19,  private,  Co.  D;  must,  in  Aug.  27,  '02;  wounded 

severelj'^  in  both  thighs. 
Geo.  W.  Kimball,  rejected  on  account  of  nipture. 
Henry  E.  Crawford,  rejected  on  account  of  enlargement  of  heart. 
Chas.  T.  Hartley,  age  24,  2d  corp.,  Co.  H;  must,  in  Aug.  27,  '02. 
Anthony  Bemer,  age  24,  private,  Co.  H ;  must,  in  Aug.  27,  '02. 
Pleas  P.  Cardwell,  age  42,  private,  Co.  H;     must,  in  Aug.  27,  '62; 

wounded  severely  in  both  feet,  May  22,  '03,  and  discharged 

Dec.  20,  '05. 
Allen  Cloud,  age  41,  private,  Co.  H;  must,  in  Aug.  27,  '02;   wouudetl 

at  Vicksburg  in  left  arm  and  discharged  for  disability  Sept. 

14, '63. 
John  Y.  Davis,  age  20,  private,  Co.  D;  must,  in  Aug.  27,  '05;  wounded 

at  Vicksburg  and  died  June  23,  '03,  at  Memphis. 
Geo.  W.  Flint,  age  27,  private,  Co.  H;  must,  in  Aug.  27,  '02;  womided 

slightly  in  head  at  Winchester. 
Peter  L.  Fowler,  age  19,  private,  Co.  H;  must,  in  Aug.  27,  '02. 
S.  W.  Geeslin,  age  24,  private,  Co.  H;  must,  in  Aug.  27,  '02. 
H.  H.  Grosvenoi",  age  30,  private,  Co.  H;  must,  in  Aug.  27,  '02. 
Thos.  Griffiths,  age  23,  private,  Co.  H ;  must,  in  Aug.  27,  '02. 
John  Hall,  age  30,  private,  Co.  H;  must,  in  Aug.  27,  '02;  died  Aug.  13, 

'03,  at  Benton  Barracks,  of  diaiThea. 
E.  P.  Huffman,  age  25,  private,  Co.  H;  must,  in  Aug.  27,  '02;  wound- 
ed in  right  breast  at  Vicksbm-g  and  died  Aug.  14,  '03. 
G.  M.  Huffman,  age  18,  private,  Co.  H;  must,  in  Aug.  27,  '02;  captured 

Jan.  22,  '04,  near  Lavacca,  Tex. 
Geo.  Hunt,  age  23,  private,  Co.  H;  must,  in  Aug.  27,  '02;  wounded  in 

right  arm  and  shovUder  at  Vicksburg. 
A.  H.  Maxwell,  age  20,  private,  Co.  H;  nuist.  in  Aug.  27,  '02. 
Alex.  Miller,  age  19,  private,  Co.  H;  must,  in  Aug.  27,  '02;  captm-ed 

at  Winchester,  Sept.  19,  '04,  and  died  a  prisoner  at  Salis- 

btu-y,  N.  C. 
Nicholas  Alfred,  age  19,  private,  Co.  H;  must,  in  Aug.  27,  '62. 
John  Olston,  age  22,  private,  Co.  H;    nuist.  in  Aug.  27,  '02;    died  at 

Vicksburg,  June  20,  '03. 
G.  H.  Patton,  age  28,  private,  Co.  H;  must,  in  Aug.  27,  '02. 
M.  Phillips,  ag(!  22,  private,  Co.  H;   must,  in  Aug.  27,  '(52. 
Jas.  W.  Stearns,  age  20,  private. 
Wm.  Winter  stein. 

THIRTY-SIXTH   INFANTRY. 

Moses  Cousins,  age  35,  sm-geon,  Co.  A;   commissioned  Sept.  3,  '02. 
Michael  Hare,  age  44,  chaplain,  Co.  A;  commissioned  Nov.  7,  '02. 
Daniel  Ivens,  age  44,  hospital  surgeon,  Co.  A;   must,  in  Oct.  4,  '(52. 
Martin  J.  Varner,  age  35,  cap.,  Co.  A;   must,  in  Oct.  4,  '02. 
John  Walker,  age  39,  1st  lieut.,  Co.  A;  must,  in  Oct.  4,  '02. 
John  M.  Porter,  age  37,  2d  lieut.,  Co.  A;  must,  in  Sept  11.  '«J2;  pro- 
moted to  1st  lieut  and  captain  in  '04;  wounded  twice  at 
Mark's  Mills. 


60  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

David  H.  Scott,  age  37, 1st  ser.,  Co.  A;  must,  in  Sept.  11,  '62;  captured 
at  Marli's  Mills. 

Asa  S.  Baird,  age  38,  2d  ser.,  Co.  A;  must,  in  Sept.  11,  '62;  cap- 
tm-ed  at  Mark's  Mills. 

Davidson  P.  Bay,  age  26,  3d  ser.,  Co.  A;  must,  in  Sept.  11,  '62; 
wounded  in  right  shoulder  by  guerrillas  in  Yazoo  Exp.  and 
died  at  Tyler,  Texas,  in  '64. 

David  Ross,  age  31,  4th  ser.,  Co.  A;  must,  in  Sept.  11,  '62;  died  at 
Carbondale,  111.,  Dec.  5,  '62. 

George  P.  Barton,  age  25,  5th  ser.,  Co.  A;  must,  in  Sept.  11,  '62. 

Washington  Shahau,  age  29,  1st  Corp.,  Co.  A;  must,  in  Sept.  11,  '62: 
died  at  Keokuk,  Nov.  15,  '62. 

David  M.  Warren,  age  27,  2d  corp.,  Co.  A;  must,  in  Sept.  11,  '62. 

Chas.  S.  Deyo,  age  33,  3d  corp.,  Co.  A;  must,  in  Sept.  11,  '62;  cap- 
tiu-ed  at  Mark's  Mills. 

Michael  Hittle,  age  21,  4th  corp.,  Co.  A;  must  in  Sept.  11,  '62. 

Laurel  H.  Tyrrell,  age  39,  5th  corp.,  must,  in  Sept.  11,  '62. 

Jacob  Hittle,  age  42,  6th  corp.,  Co.  A;  must,  in  Sept.  11,  '62. 

Sam'l  B.  Tyrrell,  age  30,  7th  corp.,  Co.  A;  must,  in  Sept.  11,  '62;  died 
at  Keokuk,  Nov.  15,  '62. 

Wm.  Snethen,  age  44,  8th  corp.,  Co.  A;  must,  in  Sept.  11,  '62;  dis- 
charged for  disability,  Jan.  24,  '63. 

David  liyon,  age  30,  musician,  Co.  A;  must,  in  Sept.  11,  '62;  died  at 
Keokuk  in  '62. 

Henry  Bain,  age  19,  musician,  Co.  A;  must,  in  Sept.  11,  '62;  discharged 
at  Keokuk  for  disability. 

Jas.  H.  Morris,  age  35,  Avagoner,  Co.  A;  must,  in  Sept.  11,  '62;  dis- 
charged for  disability,  Dec.  1,  '63. 

John  Barnes,  age  26,  pi'ivate,  Co.  A;  must,  in  Sept,  11,  '62;  died  at 
Ball's  Bluff,  Ark.,  Aug.  11,  '63. 

Benjamin  Bennett,  age  38,  private,  Co.  A;  must,  in  Sept.  11,  '62;  killed 
at  Mark's  Mills. 

Peter  Boyer,  age  31,  private,  Co.  A;  must,  in  Sept.  11,  '62;  killed  at 
Mark's  Mills. 

Sam'l  Biu'uett,  age  28,  private,  Co.  A;  must,  in  Sept.  11,  '62. 

Ephraim  Bristow,  age  43,  private,  Co.  A;  must,  in  Sept.  11,  '62;  died 
at  St.  Louis,  Jan.  6,  '63. 

Jas.  H.  Allen,  age  18,  private,  Co.  A;  must,  in  Feb.  20,  '62;  died  at 
Little  Rock,  July  30,  '64. 

Thos.  L.  Castle,  age  25,  private,  Co.  A;  must,  in  Feb.  20,  '62. 

(leo.  O.  Catron,  age  20,  private,  Co.  A;  must,  in  March  9,  '62;  vi^ound- 
ed  April  25,  '64;  died  June  23,  '64. 

Wm.  Carhart,  age  21,  private,  Co.  A;  must,  in  Feb.  20.  '62;  accident- 
ally drowned  at  Little  Rock,  Ark.,  July  20,  '64. 

Alexander  Elder,  age  25,  private,  Co.  A;  must,  in  Feb.  28,  '62;  wound- 
ed and  taken  prisoner  April  25,  '64. 

John  Foreman,  age  IS,  private,  Co.  A;  must,  in  Nov.  23,  '62;  taken 
prisoner. 

John  Kreitzer,  age  18,  private,  Co.  A;  must,  in  Feb.  20,  '62;  taken  pris- 
oner at  Mark's  Mills. 

Geo.  Lindsay,  age  21,  private,  Co.  A;  must,  in  Feb.  20,  '62. 

David  C.  Moore,  age  32,  private,  Co.  A;  nmst.  in  Feb.  26,  '62;  wounded 
at  Elkins'  Ford,  Ark. 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IO^VA.  61 

Ji>soph  Moadow,  Co.  A;  woimdeil  aud  takon  prisoner  at  ^Mark's  Mills. 
Win.  E.  McKlsslck.  a>;e  IS.  private.  Co.  A;  niiiiit.  in  Feb.  20.  'C.i';  taken 

prisoner  at  Mark's  Mills. 
Jas.  MeKissick.  a^e  40.  private.  Co.  A;    nuist.  in  Keb.  20,  '02;   taken 

prisoner  at  Mark's  Mills,  also  wounded. 
Ahnund  MeNeil.  ;i.i,'e  42.  private.  Co.  A;   must,  in  Feb.  20,  '02;    taken 

prisoner  at  Mark's  Mills. 
Wni.  Martin.  aj?e  31,  private,  Co.  A;   must,  in  Feb.  20.  '02. 
G.  F.  Stephenson,  age  11),  private,  Co.  A;   must,  in  Feb.  20,  02;   cap 

tured  at  Mark's  Mills. 
Marshal  Law.  ajre  27.  private.  Co.  A;   must,  in  Feb.  20,  '02;   mustered 

out  as  lieutenant. 
Robt.  Martin,  age  22,  private,  Co.  A;  must,  in  Feb.  20,  '02;   wounded 

at  Max-k's  Mills  and  died  of  wounds. 
Geo.  W.  McBride.  age  10.  private,  Co.  A;    must,  in  Feb.  20,  '02;   dis- 
charged for  disability.  Sept.  9.  '03. 
Joseph  Middaw,  age  38.  private,  Co.  A;  must,  in  Feb.  20,  '02;   wound- 
ed slightly  and  captured  at  Mark's  Mills. 
Samuel  D.  A.  Mahin,  age  IS.  private.  Co.  A;  must  in  Feb.  20,  '(>2. 
(}et>.  W.  Mili^.  age  30,  private,  Co.  A;  must,  in  Feb.  20.  '02. 
Geo.  W.  Mahin,  age  24,  private,  Co.  A;  mustered  in  Feb.  2(5,  "02. 
Sylvester  Mifford,  age  22,  private,  Co.  A;  must,  in  Feb.  20.  '02. 
Lewis  S.  Maddox,  age  32,  private,  Co.  A;  must,  in  Feb.  20,  '02. 
Jas.  Xickel,  age  24,  private,  Co.  A;  must,  in  Feb.  20,  '02. 
Thos.  Nickel,  age  22,  private,  Co.  A;   must,  in  Feb.  20,  '02;   wounded 

July  5,  '04,  Yazoo  Expedition. 
W.  D.  Nelson,  private,  Co.  A;   nmst.  in  Feb.  20,  '02. 
Jas.  M.  Osborn,  age  24,  private.  Co.  A;   must,  in  Feb.  20,  '02;   died  of 

chronic  gastritis  at  Keokuk,  Jan.  5,  '64. 
David  Parks,  age  27,  private,  Co.  A;   must,  in  Feb.  26,  '02;   captmxMl 

at  Mark's  Mills. 
Wni.  H.  Phelps,  age  22,  private,  Co.  A;   must,  in  Feb.  20,  '02. 
Thos.  G.  Kobb.  age  22,  private, Co.  A;   must,  in  Feb.  20,  '02. 
Ephraim  D.  Rathbuni,  age  IS,  private,  Co.  A;   must,  in  Feb.  20,  '62, 

discharged  Nov.  17,  '03,  at  Keokuk,  for  diarrhea. 
John  T.  Riddle,  age  19,  private,  Co.  A;  must,  in  Feb.  20.  '02. 
Henry  Reitzel,  age  25.  private,  Co.  A;  must,  in  Feb.  20,  '02;  died  April 

7,  'G4,  at  Camden,  Ark. 
Newton  Scott,  age  20,  private,  Co.  A;  must,  in  Feb.  20.  '62. 
W.  H.  Smith,  age  39,  private,  Co.  A;  must,  in  Feb.  20,  '02;  dii  d  Aug. 

31,  '63,  at  Keokuk. 
Loreus  S.  Shepherd,  age  26,  private,  Co.  A;    must,  in  Feb.  2f>,  'OJ; 

wounded. 
Daniel  Shepherd,  age  23,  private,  Co.  A;  must,  in  Feb.  26,  '62;   killed 

at  Mark's  Mills. 
Darius  Stacy,  age  3.">,  priv.it<'.  Co.  A;   must,  in  Feb.  20.  '02;   captured 

at  Mark's  Mills  and  died  «)f  fever  at  Tyler.  Tex...lune  l.'5.'<'h4. 
John  C.  Taylor,  age  19.  priv:ite.  Co.  A;   must,  in  Feb.  20,  '02. 
Wm.  D.  Miller,  age  40.  private.  Co.  A;   must,  in  Feb.  2<;.  '({2. 
Wm.  C.  Watson,  age  22,  private.  Co.  A:   must,  in  Felt.  "JO.  '()2. 
W.  W.  Wills,  age '25,  private,  Co.  A;  must,  in  Feb.  20,  '02. 
Wm.  Warwick,  age  33.  private,  Co.  A;   must,  in  Feb.  20,  '62. 


62  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

Geo.  W.  Wilson,  age  22,  private,  Co.  A;  must,  in  Feb.  26,  '62;  dis- 
cliarged  for  chronic  dian-hea  at  Keoliuk,  Jan.  30,  '64. 

John  N.  Wilson,  age  25,  private,  Co.  A;  must,  in  Feb.  26,  '62. 

John  J.  Cattern,  rejected  on  account  of  fractured  leg. 

R.  K.  Nelson,  rejected  on  account  of  loss  of  teeth. 

Nathan  Meek,  rejected  on  account  of  hemorrhoids. 

Jas.  J.  Henderson,  rejected  on  account  of  pulmonai-y  weakness. 

Edward  Ryue,  rejected  on  accovmt  of  injured  arm. 

Robt.  Lj-ons,  rejected  on  account  of  varicose  leg. 

Timothy  Breese,  age  43,  private,  Co.  A;  must,  in  Feb.  26,  '62;  dis- 
charged July  13,  '63. 

Wm.  P.  Cone,  age  18,  private,  Co.  A;   must,  in  Feb.  26,  '62. 

.las.  Carhart,  age  18,  private,  Co.  A;  must.  Feb.  26,  '62. 

Wm.  Castle,  age  26,  private,  Co.  A;  must,  in  Feb.  26,  '62;  captured 
at  Mark's  Mills. 

Daniel  Crawford,  age  36,  private,  Co.  A;  must,  in  Feb.  26,  '62;  dis- 
cliarged  at  Keokuk,  March  27,  '65. 

Zellek  H.  Collens,  age  22,  private,  Co.  A;  must,  in  Feb.  26,  '62;  died 
at  Little  Rock,  '64. 

Thos.  A.  Carter,  age  20,  private  Co.  A;  must,  in  Feb.  26,  '62;  wound- 
ed at  Elkius"  Ford,  April  4,  '64. 

Wm.  Carhart. 

Jas.  G.  Conley,  age  27,  private,  Co.  A;  must,  in  Feb.  26,  '62;  drowned 
at  Little  Rock,  July  2,  '64,  while  bathing. 

Joseph  Cattern,  age  21,  private,  Co.  A;  must,  in  Feb.  26,  '62. 

Joseph  Colclasm-e,  age  22,  private,  Co.  A;  must,  in  Feb.  26,  '62;  died 
in  '63  at  Shell  Mound,  Miss. 

John  M.  Connett,  age  40,  private,  Co.  A;  nuist.  in  Feb.  26,  "62;  cap- 
tured at  Mark's  Mills. 

Isaiah  H.  Conley,  age  29,  private,  Co.  A;  must,  in  Feb.  26,  '62. 

John  W.  Clodfelter,  age  25,  private,  Co.  A;  must,  in  Feb.  26,  '62;  died 
of  disease  at  Memphis,  Tenn.,  Nov.  20,  '63. 

Perry  Crawley,  age  37,  private,  Co.  A;  must,  in  Feb.  26,  '62;  died  Feb. 
27,  '63. 

Jolm  Dempsey,  age  25,  private,  Co.  A;  must,  in  Feb.  26,  '62. 

H.  M.  Chedister,  age  23,  private,  Co.  A;  must,  in  Feb.  26,  '62;  captured 
at  Mark's  Mills. 

Wm.  H.  Dean,  age  34,  private,  Co.  A;  must,  in  Feb.  20,  '63;  captiu'iMl 
at  Mark's  Mills  and  died  Sept.  24,  '65,  at  Tyler,  Tex. 

John  H.  Deals,  age  20,  private,  Co.  A;  must,  in  Sept.  11,  '62;  died  at 
Keokuk  of  chronic  diarrhea,  June  22,  '63. 

Jacob  I'>lder,  age  29,  private,  Co.  A;  must,  in  Sept.  11,  '62;  died  at 
Memphis,  Tenn.,  Sept.  16,  '63. 

AVin.  G.  Elder,  age  19,  private,  Co.  A;  must,  in  Sept.  11,  '62. 

Albert  Grimes,  age  41,  private,  Co.  A:  must,  in  Sept.  11,  '62;  wounded 
slightly  and  captured  at  Mark's  Mills. 

Jacob  Gray,  age  20,  private,  Co.  A;  must,  in  Sept.  11,  '62. 

Richard  R.  Gunter,  age  32,  private,  Co.  A;  must,  in  Sept.  11,  '62;  dis- 
charged for  disability  March  12,  '63,  at  St.  Louis. 

Geo.  W.  Grass,  age  30,  private,  Co.  A;  must,  in  Sept.  11,  '62;  captured 
at  Mark's  Mills. 

Wm.  A.  Hamilton,  age  19,  private,  Co.  A;  must,  in  Sept.  11,  '62;  died 
at  Helena,  '68. 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA.  63 

Jacob  Hull,  age  23.  private.  Co.  A;  must,  in  Sept.  11,  '62;  discharged 
for  disability.  Dec.  19.  '63. 

Wm.  Homes,  nge  26,  private,  Co.  A;  must,  in  ^ept.  11,  '62;  died  at 
Helena,  Ark.,  '63. 

Harry  Hobm-n,  age,  27,  private.  Co.  A;  must,  in  Sept.  11,  '62;  dis 
charged  Nov.  10,  '63,  for  disability. 

.John  Harbison,  age  23,  private,  Co.  A;  must,  in  Sept.  11.  '63. 

(>(x>.  W.  Harper,  private,  Co.  A;  must,  in  Sept.  11.  '63. 

Harry  Hendrickson.  age  28,  private,  Co.  A;  must,  in  Sept.  11,  '62. 

Frederick  Hiteman,  age  25,  private,  Co.  A;  must,  in  Sept.  11,  '62. 

Wm.  Humphrey,  age  39,  private.  Co.  A;  must,  in  Sept.  11,  '62;  died 
at  Keokuk,  Nov.  10,  '62. 

Sam'l  ,T.  Hendricks,  age  31.  private,  Co.  A;  nuist.  in  Sept.  11,  '62;  dis- 
charged April  11,  '63. 

.Jacob  Hendrix,  age  22,  private,  Co.  A;  must,  in  Sept.  11,  '62;  cap- 
tured at  Mark's  Mills. 

Henry  Harger,  age  22,  private,  Co.  A;  must,  in  Sept.  11,  '62. 

Isaac  M.  Hill,  age  30,  private,  Co.  A;  must,  in  Sept.  11,  '62;  wounded 
and  died  at  Elkin.s'  Ford,  Ark.,  '64. 

Dan'l  Ivens,  age  44,  private,  Co.  A;  must,  in  Sept.  11,  '62;  promoted 
hospital  steward,  Oct.  4,  '62. 

Wm.  H.  Knight,  age  21,  private,  Co.  A;  must,  in  Sept.  11,  '62;  died 
at  Little  Rock,  Ark.,  March  22,  '64. 

ratrick  Kennedy,  age  28,  private,  Co.  A;  must,  in  Sept.  11,  '62;  dieil 
at  Keokuk,  Oct.  13,  '63. 

Elijah  T.  Knight,  age  27,  private,  Co.  A;  must,  in  Sept.  11,  '62;  dis- 
charged Nov.  30,  '(S. 

.las.  C.  Lyons,  age  22,  private,  Co.  A;  must,  in  Sept.  11.  '62;  died  at 
Keokuk,  Dec.  3,  '62. 

Alfred  Lowe,  age  36,  private,  Co.  A;  nuist.  in  Sept.  11,  '62;  discharged 
for  disability  ^larch  24,  'tVl 

.Tohn  Lucas,  age  33,  private,  Co.  A;  must,  in  Sept,  11,  '62. 

Nelson  Derl)y,  age  IS,  private,  Co.  B;  must,  in  Sept.  3,  '62;  captiu-ed 
at  Mark's  Mills. 

John  W.  McMahill,  age  22,  private.  Co.  B;  nuist.  in  Sept.  3,  '62. 

Thos.  J.  McCormack,  age  26,  private,  Co.  B;  nuist.  in  Sept.  3,  '62. 

Hiram  A.  Fratt,  age  22,  private,  Co.  B;  must,  in  Sept.  3,  '62;  captured 
at  Mark's  Mills. 

Jacob  West,  age  38,  private,  Co.  B;  must,  in  Sept.  3,  '62;  captured 
at  Mark's  Mills. 

Levi  West,  age  31,  private,  Co.  B;  must,  in  Sept.  3,  '62;  discharged 
for  disability  at  St.  Louis. 

John  H.  T.  Harn.  age  IS,  musician.  Co.  C;  must,  in  Sei)t.  18,  '62. 

Wilson  Burris.  age  30,  private,  Co.  C;  must,  in  Sept.  IS,  '62;' captured 
at  Mark's  Mills. 

O.  P.  Huntington,  age  21,  private,  Co.  C;  must,  in  Sept.  18.  'r,2;  dis- 
chan:e<l  for  disability  at  Helena,  Ark. 

Uriah  Link,  age  24,  private,  Co.  C;  must,  in  Sept.  18,  '62;  severely 
wimnde^l  and  captured  at  Mark's  Mills. 

Matthias  Lainon,  age  24.  private,  Co.  C;  must,  in  Sept.  IS,  '62;  dis- 
charged for  disability  at  St.  T.,ouis. 

Dan'l  H.  Sumner,  age  21,  piivati-,  Co.  C;  must.  In  Sept.  18,  '62;  cap- 
tured at  Mark's  Mills. 


64  HISTORY  OF  MOXh'OE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

Michc-iel  K.  Tedrow,  age  35,  private,  Co.  C;  must,  iu  Sept.  18,  *62;  cap- 
tured at  Mark's  Mills. 

Richard  Hobson,  age  26,  5th  Corp.,  Co.  D;  must,  iu  Sept.  6,  'G2;  cap- 
tured at  Mark's  Mills. 

Peter  Stuber,  age  23,  6th  corp.,  Co.D;  must,  in  Sept.  6,  '62. 

Wm.  Amos,  age  18,  private,  Co.  D;  must,  iu  Sept.  6,  '62;  captured 
at  Mark's  Mills. 

Geo.  Amos,  age  23,  private,  Co.  D;  must,  in  Sept.  6,  '62. 

Jas.  M.  Blair,  age  25,  private,  Co.  D;  must,  in  Sept.  6,  '62. 

Geo.  W.  Blair,  age  22,  private,  Co.  D;  must,  in  Sept.  6,  '62. 

Dan'l  T.  Fall,  age  18,  private,  Co.  D;  must,  in  Sept.  6,  '62;  captured 
at  Mark's  Mills. 

Benj.  F.  Gordon,  age  18.  private,  Co.  D;  must,  in  Sept.  6,  '62;  captured 
at  Mark's  Mills. 

David  F.  Gray,  age  22,  private,  Co.  D;  must,  iu  Sept.  6,  '62. 

John  S.  Gray,  age  19,  private,  Co.  D;  must,  in  Sept.  6,  '62;  captured 
at  Mark's  Mills. 

Thos.  Myers,  age  24,  private,  Co.  D;  must,  in  Sept.  6,  '62. 

Joseph  Roberts,  age  22,  private,  Co.  D;  must,  in  Sept.  6,  '62;  dis- 
charged for  disability  at  St.  Louis. 

Philip  Stuber,  age  IS,  private,  Co.  D;  must,  in  Sept.  6,  '62;  discharged 
at  Keokuk  for  heart  disease. 

John  G.  Steele,  age  23,  private,  Co.  D;  must  in  Sept.  6,  '62. 

Abrara  Umbenhower,  age  19,  private,  Co.  D;  must,  in  Sept.  6,  '62; 
captured  at  Mark's  Mills. 

John  D.  Westfall,  age  43,  4th  corp.,  Co.  F;  must,  in  Oct.  4,  '62. 

Wm.  K.  Kemper,  age  22,  3d  ser.,  Co.  F;  must,  in  Oct.  4,  '62. 

Thos.  A.  Duckworth,  age  25,  6th  corp.,  Co.  F;  must  in  Oct.  4,  '62. 

Martin  L.  Landis,  age  18,  musician,  Co.  F;  must,  in  Oct.  4,  "62. 

John  M.  CoUett,  age  18,  private,  Co.  F;  must,  in  Oct.  4,  '62. 

Robert  Etheredge.  age  19,  private,  Co.  F;  must,  in  Oct.  4,  '62;  dis- 
charged at  Helena  for  disability. 

Elihu  IManley,  age  21,  private,  Co.  F;  must,  in  Oct.  4,  '62. 

Wm.  Eads,  age  37,  private,  Co.  F;  must,  in  Oct.  4,  '62;  discharged 
at  Helena  for  disability. 

Alex.  Eads,  age  29,  private,  Co.  F;  must,  in  Oct.  4,  '62. 

Jas.  C.  Evans,  age  38,  private,  Co.  F;  must,  iu  Oct.  4,  '62;  died  of 
disease  at  Little  Rock,  Aug.  6,  '64. 

David  Evans,  age  28,  private,  Co.  F ;  must,  in  Oct.  4,  '62. 

John  Marchbanks,  age  32,  private,  Co.  F;  must,  in  Oct.  4,  '62;  dis- 
charged at  St.  Louis  for  disability. 

Nimrod  Marchbanks,  age  37,  private,  Co.  F;  must,  in  Oct.  4,  '62. 

Chas.  B.  Main,  age  26,  private,  Co.  F;  must,  in  Oct.  4,  '62;  killed 
at  Mark's  Mills. 

John  R.  May,  age  19,  private,  Co.  F;  must,  in  Oct.  4,  '62;  discharged 
for  disability. 

Ephraim  Nicholson,  age  21,  private,  Co.  F;  must,  in  Oct.  4,  '62; 
wounded  slightly  and  captured  at  Mark's  Mills. 

Wm.  P.  Smith,  age  18,  private,  Co.  F;  must,  in  Oct.  4,  '62;  died  of 
consumption,  Nov.  1,  '63,  at  Little  Bock. 

Andrew  B.  Prayther,  age  25,  private,  Co.  F;  must,  in  Oct.  4,  '62. 

Luther  C.  Rohind,  age  21,  private,  Co.  F:  must,  in  Oct  4,  '62. 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY.  JOWA.  55 

Alexander  C.  Sheeks.  age  IS.  private,  Co.  F;  must,  in  Oct.  4,  '<»12;  died 

Nov.  27,  '<>2,  at  Kt'okuk. 
.Tohn  T.  SluH'ks.  a  fie  24.  private,  Co.  F;  must,  in  Oct.  4,  '(!2. 
Isaac  11.  SluM'ks.  af:e21,  private,  Co.  F:  nnist.  in  Oct.  4,  '02. 
Wm.  B.  A.  Carter,  ay;e  2;>,  musician,  Co.  K;   nuist.  in  Sept.  15,  'ri2. 
Geo.  W.  Brott,  age  20,  private,  Co.  K;  must,  in  Sept.  15,  '62;  wounded, 

captured,  and  died  at  Mark's  Mills. 
Luthei-  C.  Bailey,  ajre  42.  private,  Co.  K;   must,  in  Sept.  15,  '62. 
Jacob  Hajrer.  a  fie  25.  private.  Co.  K;  must,  in  Sept.  15,  '02. 
Jas.  B.  IMiillips.  afro  ;i5,  private,  Co.  K;  nnist.  in  Sept.  15,  '02;  dis- 

cliarfred  at  St.  I»uis  for  disability. 
Joseph  S.  Robertson,  afie  35.  private.  Co.  K;  must,  in  Sept.  15,  '02; 

died  of  typlioid  fever  at  Keokuk.  June  17.  '03. 
Robt.  Turner,  afie  li),  private,  Co.  K;  must,  in  Sept.  15.  '02;  died  at 

Keokuk.  Nov.  10,  '02.  of  inflammation  of  brain. 
Geo.  W.  Noble,  age  33.  capt..  Co.  K;  must,  in  Sept.  15,  '02. 
John  Webb,  Jr.,  age  35,  1st  lieut.,  Co.  K:  must,  in  Sept.  15.  '02. 
John  Lambert,  age  28,  2d  lieut.,  Co.  K;  must,  in  Sept.  1.5,  '62. 
John  A.  Hurlburt.  age  28,  1st  ser.,  Co.  K:  nuist.  in  Sept.  15,  '02. 
Geo.  Hickenlooper,  age  36,  2d  ser.,  Co.  K;  must,  in  Sept.  15,  '02;  mus- 
tered out  as  lieutenant. 
Josiah  T.  Young,  age  31.  3d  ser..  Co.  K;  must,  in  Sept.  13,  '02;  wound- 
ed slightly  and  captured  at  Mark's  Mills. 
Kii  Moak,  age  35,  4th  ser.,  Co.  K;  must,  in  Aug.  18.  '02;  captured  at 

Mark's  Mills. 
li-a  Hawkins,  age  ;>1.  5tli  ser..  Co.  K;  nuist.  in  Sept.  15,  '02;  died  at 

Memphis  of  diarrhea.  March  17,  '03. 
Win.  S.  C(»llins.  age  34.  1st  Corp.,  Co.  K;  must,  in  Sept.  15.  '02;  reduced 

to  ranks. 
Moses  Edwards,  age  10.  1st  Corp.,  Co.  K;  must,  in  Sept.  15,  '62. 
Benj.  Kimbrell,  age  30.  2d  coi-p..  Co.  K;  must,  in  Sept.  15,  '62;  cap- 

tunxl  at  Mark's  Mills. 
Jonathan  Potts,  age  35.  4th  eorp.,  Co.  K;   must,  in  Sept.  15,  "02;   dietl 

at  Helena.  Ark.,  of  fever.  May  15,  '63. 
Sam'l  J.  McGinnis.  age  20.  4th  corp..  Co.  K;   must,  in  Sept.  15.  '02. 
.Tas.  W.  Taylor,  age  38,  5th  corp..  Cu.  K;  nni.st.  in  Oct.  15.  '02;  cap- 
tured at  Mark's  Mills  and  died  of  wounds  and  exposure  in 
prison  at  Tyler,  Tex..  .Tune  12.  '64. 
Fdwan!  Kads.  age  .38.  7th  Corp.,  Co.  K;  must,  in  Oct.  15.  '02;  captured 

at  Mark's  Mills. 
Jas.  .M(in"yh,in.  a.^e  .{2.  Sth  <orp.,  Co.  K;    must,  in  Si  pt.  15.  "OJ;   cai)- 

turetl  at  Mark's  .Mills. 
Wm.  10.  Xevdle.  age  30,  8tli  corp..  Co.  K;   must,  in  Oct.  15,  '62. 
Edward  D.  Puirh,  ige  32.  musician,  Co.  K;   must,  in  Sei)t.  15.  '(12;   re 

duccd  to  ranks. 
John  R.  Millisan.  age  18.  nuisieian,  Co.  K:    must,  in  Sept.  15.  '02. 
Henry  H.  .Vndrew.  age  ■2(t.  wagoner.  Co.  K:  must,  in  Scjit.  15,  '02;  c.ip 

t\u-ed  at  Mark's  Mills. 
Martin  .-Vnderson.  age  2o,  i)rivate.  Ct».  K;  must,  in  Sept.  15,  '02. 
A.  I..  Anderson,  age  30.  private.  Co.  K;  must,  in  Sept.  1.5.  't?2;  dii^l  of 

congestion  of  bowels,  Aug.  6,  '63,  at  Helena,  Ark. 
Martin  J.  Anderson,  age  ■2(t,  private,  Co.  K;  nnist.  in  Sept.   15.  '02; 
wounded  severely  at  Jenkins'  Ferry,  Ark.,  .\pril  3o.  'iVL 
5 


66  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

Creed  H.  Amos,  age  19,  private,  Co.  K;  must,  in  Sept.  15,  '62;  died  at 
Helena  of  inflammation  of  lungs. 

Andrew  Bennett,  age  23,  private,  Co.  K;  must,  in  Sept.  15,  '62. 

Wm.  Brawdy,  age  24,  private,  Co.  K;  must,  in  Sept.  15,  '62. 

A.  M.  Bailey,  age  26,  private,  Co.  K;  must,  in  Sept.  16,  '62;  captured 
at  Marli's  Mills. 

Calvin  G.  Baily,  age  21,  private,  Co.  K;  must,  in  Sept.  15,  '62;  dis- 
charged at  Little  Rocli  for  disability,  Oct.  30,  '63. 

Wesley  Banister,  age  22,  private,  Co.  K;  must,  in  Sept.  15,  '62;  killed 
at  Mark's  Mills. 

Levi  Banister,  age  19,  private,  Co.  K;  must,  in  Sept.  15,  '62;  captiu-ed 
at  Mark's  Mills. 

Thos.  Barker,  age  35,  private,  Co.  K;  must,  in  Sept.  15,  '62;  wounded 
slightly  at  Elkins'  Ford  and  captured  at  Mark's  Mills. 

Aaron  A.  Campbell,  age  25,  private,  Co.  K;  must,  in  Sept.  15,  '62;  cap- 
tured at  Mark's  Mills. 

Thos.  H.  Case,  age  22,  private,  Co.  K;  must,  in  Sept.  15,  '62;  captured 
at  Mark's  Mills. 

Joseph  Chambers,  age  30,  private,  Co.  K;  must,  in  Sept.  15,  '62;  cap- 
tured at  Mark's  Mills. 

Henry  W.  Cline,  age  19,  private,  Co.  K;  must,  in  Sept.  15,  '62;  killed 
at  Mark's  Mills. 

Lewis  Davis,  age  41,  private,  Co.  K;  must,  in  Sept.  15,  '62. 

John  Day,  age  34. 

John  Epperson,  age  22,  private,  Co.  K;  must,  in  Sept.  15,  '62;  died  at 
St.  Charles,  Ark.,  June  3,  '65. 

Stephen  M.  Ely,  age  22,  private,  Co.  K;  must,  in  Sept.  15,  '62. 

Jns.  G.  Gibson,  age  32.  private,  Co.  K;  miist.  in  Sept.  15,  '62. 

Nathan  Hummel,  age  33,  private,  Co.  K;  must,  in  Sept.  15,  '62;  Killed 
at  Mark's  Mills. 

Larkin  Harlow,  age  21,  private,  Co.  K;  must,  in  Sept.  15,  '62;  dis- 
charged for  disability,  Jan.  14,  '63. 

Wm.  P.  Hannon,  age  35,  private,  Co.  K;  must,  in  Sept.  15,  '62;  died 
Aug.  21,  '63,  at  Clarendon,  Ark.,  of  congestive  chills. 

Henry  Humston,  age  28,  private,  Co.  K;   must,  in  Sept.  15,  '62. 

Jacob  Hagar,  age  25,  private,  Co.  K;  must,  in  Sept.  15,  '62;  captured 
at  Mark's  Mills. 

Rowland  Judd,  age  27,  private,  Co.  K;  must,  in  Sept.  15,  '62;  cap- 
tured at  Mark's  Mills. 

Wm.  G.  Jackson,  age  33.  private,  Co.  K;  must,  in  Sept.  15,  '62;  cap- 
tured at  Mark's  Mills. 

Wm.  AV.  Keeling,  age  35,  private,  Co.  K;  must,  in  Sept.  15,  '62;  cap- 
tured at  Mark's  Mills. 

Robt.  M.  Kirkendall,  age  35,  private,  Co.  K;  must,  in  Sept.  15,  '62. 

Elisha  Kenworthy,  age  19,  private,  Co.  K;  must,  in  Sept.  15,  '62. 

Calvin  Lemons,  age  19,  private,  Co.  K;  must,  in  Sept.  15,  '62. 

Lewis  Montgomery,  age  19.  private,  Co.  K;  must,  in  Sept.  15,  '62. 

Andrew  J.  Manley,  age  21,  private,  Co.  K;  must,  in  Sept.  15,  '62. 

Joseph  Morford,  age  22,  private,  Co.  K;  must,  in  Sept.  15,  '62. 

John  R.  Milligan,  age  18,  private,  Co.  K;  must,  in  Sept.  15,  '62;  dis- 
charged Aug.  23,  '65,  at  Keokuk. 

Wm.  W.  Moss,  age  25,  private,  Co.  K;  must,  in  Sept.  15,  '62. 


nrF!TORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA.  67 

Wm.  H.  Morris,  ajre  21.  private,  Co.  K;  miist.  in  Sept.  15,  '02;  died  of 

bronchitis.  Fob.  10,  '03. 
Jackson  Maxwell,  ajre  20,  private,  Co.   K;     must,  in   Sept.   15,   '02; 

wounded  and  captured  at  Mark's  Mills. 
Jas.  A.  Murphy,  agre  37.  private.  Co.  K;  must,  in  Sept.  15,  '02;  cap- 
tured at  JNIurk's  Mills  and  died  July  12,  '04,  at  Tyler,  Tex. 
Daniel  O'Neil,  ajre  23.  private,  Co.  K;  must,  in  Sept.  15,  '02;  captm-ed 

at  Mark's  Mills. 
Ole  Olston,  age  37,  private,  Co.  K;  must,  in  Sept.  15,  '02;  died  at  Little 

Rock,  Sept.  24,  '03,  of  typhoid  fever. 
David  W.  Potts,  age  2,5,  private.  Co.  K;  must,  in  Sept.  15,  '02;  died  at 

Helena,  April  11,  '03,  of  typlioid  fever. 
.Tacob  G.  Potts,  age  23,  private,  Co.  K;  must,  in  Sept.  15,  '02;  captured 

at  Mark's  Mills. 
.Jonathan  Potts,  age  24.  private,  Co.  K;   must,  in  Sept.  15,  '02;   died 

at  Keokuk,  Nov.  15,  '03,  of  measles. 
Nicholas  Pfendler,  age  33,  private,  Co.  K;  must,  in  Sept.  15,  '02. 
p]li  Robins,  age  44,  private,  Co.  K;    must,  in  Sept.  15,  '02;    died  of 

smallpox  at  St.  Louis,  Jan.  15,  '03. 
Edwin  Robins,  age  23,  private,  Co.  K;  must,  in  Sept.  15,  '02;  captured 

at  Mark's  Mills. 
Byron  Richmond,  age  19,  private,  Co.  K;    must,   in- Sept.   15,   '02; 

wounded  and  captured  at  Mark's  Mills,  died  of  wounds. 
Hiram  F.  Ray,  age  24,  private,  Co.  K;  must,  in  Sept.  15,  '02. 
Jas.  Stewart,  age  29,  private,  Co.  K;  must,  in  Sept.  15,  '02. 
David  A.  Smith,  age  18,  private.  Co.  K;  must,  in  Sept.  15,  '02;  died  at 

Keokuk  of  measles,  Nov.  27,  '02. 
Thos.  Smiley,  age  24,  private,  Co.  K;  must,  in  Sept.  15,  '02. 
Wm.  Stephens,  age  20,  private,  Co.  K;  must,  in  Sept.  15,  '02;  captured 

at  Mark's  Mills. 
Chas.  B.  Smith,  age  20.  private,  Co.  K;  must,  in  Sept.  15,  '02;  captiu-ed 

at  Mark's  Mills. 
Wm.  H.  Taylor,  age  24,  private,  Co.  K;  must,  in  Sept.  15,  '02;  died  of 

typhoid  fever,  Oct.  24,  '02. 
Jas.  T.  Thair,  age  25,  private,  Co.  K;  must,  in  Sept.  15,  '02;  captured 

at  Mark's  Mills. 
Thos.  M.  Thornton,  age  20,  private,  Co.  K;  must,  in  Sept.  15,  '02; 

wounded  at  Elkins'  Ford. 
Reuben  yi.  Thorpe,  age  24,  private,  Co.  K;  must,  in  Sept.  15,  '02;  cap 

tured  at  Mark's  Mills. 
John  Thomas,  age  19,  private.  Co.  K;  must,  in  Sept.  15,  '02;  captured 

at  Mark's  Mills. 
Geo.  Wiggins,  age  21.  private,  Co.  K;  must,  in  Sept.  15,  '02;  captureil 

at  Mark's  Mills,  and  died  at  New  Orleans  of  diarrhea. 
Jonathan  Witham,  age  43,  private,  Co.  K;  must,  in  Sept.  15,  '02. 
Smith  V.  Wattles,  age  18,  private,  Co.  K;  must,  in  Sept.  15,  '02;  killed 

at  Mark's  Mills. 
Chas.  Campbell,  private,  Co.  K;   rejected  on  account  of  hernia. 
Michael  Roland,  private,  Co.  K;  rejected  on  account  of  hernia. 
John  Holsclaw,  private,  Co.  K;  rejected  on  account  of  rheumatism. 
Wm.  I.  Long,  private,  Co.  K;  rejected  on  account  of  fits. 
Wm.  Moss,  private,  Co.  K;  rejected  on  account  of  broken  collar  bone. 
David  Scott,  private,  Co.  K;  rejected  on  account  of  rheumatism. 


68  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

Geo.  Vansci,  private,  Co.  K;  rejected  on  account  of  fits. 

John  A.  Walker,  private,  Co.  K;  rejected  on  account  of  broken  ankle. 

Chas.  E.  White,  age  31,  private,  Co.  K;  must,  in  Nov.  10,  '62. 

^Ym.  F.  SpeiTy,  age  IS,  private,  Co.  K;  must,  in  Feb.  20,  '64;  wounded 

and  taken  prisoner  at  Elkins'  Ford,  Ark.;   died  Dec.  1,  '64. 

at  Camden,  Ark. 
Leander  Tyrrell,  age  19,  private,  Co.  K;  must,  in  Feb.  20,  '64;  taken 

prisoner  at  Mark's  jNIills. 
Valentine  Wan-en,  age  18,  private,  Co.  K;     must,   in  Feb.  22,   '64; 

wounded  at  Elkins'  Ford,  April  4,  '64. 
Joseph  AVarx-en,  age  18,  private,  Co.  K;  must,  in  March  31,  '64;  died  of 

disease,  July  13,  '64,  at  Little  Rock. 
James  Warrick,  age  27,  private,  Co.  K;  must,  in  March  9,  '64;  died  at 

Memphis,  Oct.  4,  '64,  of  clironic  diaiTliea. 
Samuel  Hughes,  age  24,  private,  Co.  D;   must,  in  March  .5,  '64;   dierl 

of  measles  at  Little  River,  Mo.,  April  3,  '64. 
Sam.  T.  Boals,  age  18,  private.  Co.  K;  must,  in  Feb.  11,  '64;  taken 

prisoner  in  Arlvausas,  April  25,  '64. 
Thos.  J.  Keeling,  private,  Co.  K;  must,  in  Feb.  25,  '64;  died  at  Little 

Rock,  May  20,  '64. 
Chas.  B.  Reed,  age  19,  private,  Co.  K;  must,  in  Feb.  29,  '64;  taken 

prisoner  in  Arkansas,  April  25,  '64. 
Abraliam  P.  Waugh,  age  19,  private,  Co.  K;  must,  in  Feb.  29,  '64;  died 

at  Mark's  Mills,  May  7,  '64. 
Wm.  J.  Young,  age  18,  private,  Co.  K;  must,  in  Feb.  11,  '64;  taken 

prisoner  in  Arkansas,  April  25,  '64. 
John  A.  Anderson,  age  21,  private,  Co.  K;  must,  in  Feb.  20,  '<U. 
Calvin  M.  Andei-son,  age  19,  private,  Co.  K;   must,  in  March  29,  '64. 
John  Anderson,  age  18,  private,  Co.  K;  must,  in  Oct.  20,  '64. 
Azai-iah  Banister,  age  19,  private,  Co,  K;  must,  in  Feb.  25,  '64. 
Sam'l  Bain,  age  40,  private,  Co.  A;  must,  in  Feb.  26,  '04. 
Sam'l  Christy,  age  27,  private,  Co.  K;  must,  in  Oct.  20,  '64. 
Wm.  F.  DoAvns,  age  18,  private,  Co.  K;  must,  in  March  27,  '64. 
Wm.  Glass,  age  44,  private,  Co.  K;   must,  in  Oct.  20,  '64. 
Wm.  R.  Jiidson,  age  36,  private,  Co.  A;  must,  in  Feb.  10,  '64. 
Thos.  H.  L.  Knight,  age  19,  private,  Co.  A;    must,  in  March  9,  '64. 
Chas.  A.  Livingston,  age  18,  private,  Co.  A;  must,  in  Feb.  20,  '64. 
Eben  W.  Loper,  age  IS,  private,  Co.  K;   must,  in  Feb.  20,  '64. 
Peter  Miller,  age  21,  private,  Co.  K;  must,  in  Feb.  20,  '64. 
Jas.  H.  Nelson,  age  17,  private,  Co.  K;  must,  in  March  4,  '64. 
Christopher  Nickles,  age  35,  private,  Co.  K;  must,  in  Feb.  13,  '64. 
Algernon  Repp,  age  20,  private,  Co.  K;  must,  in  Feb.  24,  '64. 

THIRTY-SEVENTH  INFANTRY. 

("Graybeard  Regiment.") 

Henry  C.  Markham,  age  49,  1st  lieut.,  Co.  G;  must,  in  Nov.  14,  '62. 

Wm.  Welsh,  age  52,  5th  ser.,  Co.  G;  must,  in  Sept.  9,  '62. 

Isaac  Drury,  age  62,  private,  Co.  G;  must,  in  Nov.  13,  '62. 

Asahil  Parmenter,  age  65,  private,  Co.  G;  nuist.  in  Nov.  13,  '62;  dis- 
charged for  disability,  July  4,  '64. 

Job  Rogers,  age  55,  private,  Co.  G;  must,  in  Nov.  14,  '62;  died  of 
disease,  May  1,  '63. 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA.  69 

Curtis  Kinjr.  ago  SO,  private,  Co.  II;  must,  in  Dec.  13,  '62;  discharged 
for  disability,  INlarcli  12(».  \V.l 

Andrew  Sweeney,  age  (>-,  private.  Co  II;  must,  in  Nov.  20,  '(52. 

Ishniarl  Kohinson,  age  4!».  private,  Co.  1;  must,  in  Nov.  11),  '(12. 

lioht.  Lyon.  Co.  I;  went  into  quarters  and  died  at  Miiseatiiu-  of 
typlioid  fever.  May  27,  '02. 

.John  .1.  Duncan,  age  45,  2d  lieut.,  Co.  K;  must,  in  Nov.  28.  '02. 

Danford  Cross,  age  53,  5th  ser.,  Co.  K;  nuist.  in  Nov.  12.  '02;  dis- 
charged   Sept.  21),  '("4. 

Tlios.  Sumner,  age  47,  4th  Corp.,  Co.  K;  must,  in  Nov.  12,  '02. 

Bennett  Cliue,  age  57,  private,  Co.  K;  nuist.  in  Nov.  12,  '02. 

Nathan  English,  age  45,  private,  Co.  K;  nuist.  in  Nov.  12.  '02;  dis- 
charged lor  disability.  May  5,  '0;>. 

Calvin  Furgason,  age  42.  private,  Co.  K;  must,  in  Nov.  12.  '02;  dis- 
charged for  disability,  April  11,  '03. 

I'Tuoch  (rolihor,  age  48,  private,  Co.  K;  nuist.  in  Nov.  14.  ■(>2;  wounded 
Aug.  15,  '04;  accidentally  nui  over  by  cars.  Memphis.  Tenn. 

Wm.  Miles.  -Ase  45.  private.  Co.  K;  must,  in  Nov.  12.  '02. 

Chas.  Smith,  age  47,  private,  Co.  K;  must,  in  Nov.  12,  '02. 

Dau'l  Shelby,  age  47,  private.  Co.  K;  must,  in  Nov.  12,  '02. 

Keese  Wolfe,  age  47,  private,  Co.  K;  must,  in  Nov.  12,  '02;  died  of 
dise;ise,  Sept.  3,  '03,  at  Alton,  111. 

Thos.  J.  Auspach,  private,  Co.  K;  rejected  for  being  under  age. 

Adam  Smith,  private,  Co.  K;  rejected  for  being  under  age. 

FORTY-SIXTH   INFANTRY. 

Henry  Miller,  age  35,  1st  Ueut,  Co.  G;  must,  in  June  10,  '04. 
.Tosiali  r..  Duncan,  age  40.  2d  lieut.,  Co.  G;   mu.st.  in  June  10,  '64. 
Dan'l  M.  Miller,  age  22.  2d  ser..  Co.  G;  must,  in  June  10,  '04. 
Will.  Eads,  age  38,  1st  corp.,  Co.  G;  must,  in  June  10,  '04. 
Creetl  C.  Scott,  age  21,  3d  corp.,  Co.  G;  must,  in  Jime  10,  '04. 
John  MuUinix,  age  38,  4th  corp.,  Co.  G;  must,  in  June  10,  '04. 
Dan'l  Etter,  age  38. 

N.  W.  Wilcox,  age  21,  Sth  corp.,  Co.  G;  must,  in  June  10,  '04. 
C.  C.  Hays,  age  18,  musician,  Co.  G;  must,  in  June  10,  '64. 
Frederic  Prindle.  age  18.  musician,  Co.  G;   must,  in  June  10,  '04. 
John  McCreary,  age  45. 

J.  M.  Anderson,  age  18,  private,  Co.  G;  must,  in  June  10,  '*U. 
Dan'l  n.  Amos,  private,  Co.  G;  must,  in  June  10.  'M. 
Addison  Hoggs,  age  18,  private,  Co.  G;  must,  in  June  10,  'f>4. 
Clark  N.  Kone.  age  18,  private,  Co.  G;   must,  in  June  10.  'M. 
Jas.  A.  Bone,  age  18,  private.  Co.  G;  must,  in  Ju!u>  l(t.  'ri4. 
.facob  II.  Cowger,  age  42.  i)rivate,  Co.  G;   must,  in  June  10.  '04. 
John  Conway,  age  1'.),  i»rivate.  Co.  (J;  must,  in  June  10.  '(U. 
Ezra  T.  Cone,  age  21.  ])rivate,  Co.  (i;  must,  in  Jnnt>  l(t,  \'A. 
Elisha  C.  Dawson,  age  21,  private,  Co.  G;  must,  in  .lune  in,  "04. 
Jas.  W.  Dent,  age  l.s.  private.  Co.  (J;  must,  in  June  Hi,  '{\4. 
John  Elder,  .ige  IS,  juMv.ite.  Co.  G;  must,  in  June  10.  '04. 
Micii.ii  1  Fullen,  age  IS.  private.  Co.  G;  must,  in  June  in,  '(;4. 
I'l-ancis  Giilx-rt.  age  2:?.  private,  Co.  G;   must,  in  June  1(»,  '04. 
John  S.  Gibson,  age  IS,  private.  Co.  G;  nnist.  in  .Fune  lo,  '(>4. 
Uobt.  G.  Gilison.  age  i;i.  jirivnte.  Co.  G;  nnisl.  in  June  in,  'i;i 


70  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

Sqiiire  Grissom,  age  18,  private,  Co.  G;  must,  in  June  10,  '64. 
Thos.  J.  HoUingshead,  age  20,  private,  Co.  G;  must,  in  June  10,  '64. 
John  Q.  Hamilton,  age  18,  private,  Co.  G;   must,  in  June  10,  '64. 
Josiali  Kellogg,  age  43. 

Elias  M.  Miller,  age  18,  private,  Co.  G;  must,  in  June  10,  '64. 
A.  F.  W.  B.  Morford,  age  21,  private,  Co.  G;  must,  in  June  10,   64. 
Wm.  H.  McConnell,  age  18,  private,  Co.  G;  must,  in  June  10,  '64. 
Chas.  A.  Martin,  age  18,  private,  Co.  G;  must,  in  June  10,  '64. 
Frank  O.  Mark,  age  18,  private,  Co.  G;  must,  in  June  10,  '64. 
Leander  D.  Phinny,  age  33,  private,  Co.  G;  must,  in  June  10,  '64. 
John  A.  J.  Sims,  age  23,  private,  Co.  G;  must,  in  June  10,  '64. 
Sam'l  Smith,  age  18,  private,  Co.  G;  must,  in  June  10,  '64. 
RoUiugs  A.  Snethen. 

FORTY-EIGHTH  INFANTRY. 

Nathan  B.  Sullivan,  age  18,  private,  Co.  G;  must,  in  June  10,  '64. 
Dexter  M.  Taylor,  age  18,  private,  Co.  G;  must,  in  June  10,  '64. 
Thos.  A.  Tucker,  age  40,  private,  Co.  G;  must,  in  June  10,  '64. 
Wm.  A.  Thornton,  age  21,  private,  Co.  G;  must,  in  June  10,  '64. 
G.  A.  Ulrick,  age  19,  private,  Co.  G;  must,  in  June  10,  '64. 
Jas.  B.  Vaughn,  age  26,  private,  Co.  G;  must,  in  June  10,  '64. 

FIRST  CAVALRY. 

Field  and  Staff. 

Dan'l  Anderson,  age  40,  major;  must,  in  July  10,  '62;  promoted  from 

captain  of  Co.  H. 
Henry  L.  Dashiell,  age  26,  commissary;  must,  in  Aug.  26,  '62;  promoted 

from  4th  sergeant  of  Co.  H. 
Thos.  H.  Elder,  age  25,  B.  H.  S.;  must,  in  Oct.  7,  '62. 
Wm.  Mann,  age  25,  B.  V.  S.;  must,  in  Oct.  7,  '62. 

Roster  of  Companies. 

Dan'l  Anderson,  age  40,  capt.,Co.  H;  commissioned  Sept.  23,  '61. 

Riley  Wescoatt,  age  33,  capt.,  Co.  H;  must,  in  July  10,  '62;  promoted 
captain  in  '65. 

A.  U.  McCormack,  age  24,  2d  lieut,  Co.  H;  must,  in  July  10,  '62;  pro 
moted  captain. 

Sam'l  T.  Craig,  age  26,  1st  ser.,  Co.  H;  must,  in  Sept.  1,  "62;  pi-o- 
moted  lieutenant  and  quartermaster. 

E.  R.  Rockwell,  age  33,  com.  sur.,  Co.  H;  must,  in  Nov.  1,  '62;  wound- 
ed in  lower  jaw  at  Clinton,  Mo.,  April  7,  '65. 

W.  H.  Harris,  age  20,  3d  ser.,  Co.  H;  must,  in  Aug.  3,  '61;  died  of 
typhoid  fever,  Keytesville,  Mo.,  ov.  5,  '62. 

Josephus  Hays,  age  19,  3d  ser.,  Co.  H;  must,  in  Nov.  5,  '62;  died 
Nov.  25,  '63. 

Henry  L.  Dashiell,  age  26,  4th  ser.,  Co.  H;  must,  in  Sept.  1,  '62;  pro- 
moted Q.  M.  S.,  2d  bat.;  promoted  regimental  com.  Aug. 
26,  '62. 

Isaac  S.  Jones,  age  27,  1st  corp.,  Co.  H;   must,  in  Aug.  10,  '61. 

Jas.  H.  Cowan,  age  21,  2d  corp.,  Co.  H;  must,  in  Jan.  1,  '63. 

A.  G.  Chambers,  age  35,  3d  corp.,  Co.  H;  must,  in  Jan.  1,  '63;  dis- 
charged at  Jefferson  City,  Mo..  Feb.  6,  '62. 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA.  71 

J.  R.  Castle,  ape  30,  3d  Corp..  Co.  H;  must,  in  Fob.  7,  'G2. 

Jas.  McCoy,  aj;e  33,  4th  Corp.,  Co.  II;  must,  in  Feb.  7,  '02;  discharj^etl 

by  Gon.  Ilallock,  June  26,  '02. 
II.  G.  Bales,  a?:e  10,  0th  Corp..  Co.  H;  must,  in  Feb.  7,  '02. 
Nathan  Gilbert,  ase  22,  7th  Corp.,  Co.  H;  nnist.  in  Feb.  7,  '62. 
Reitzell  Blair,  ase  25,  8th  corp.,  Co.  II;  must,  in  Feb.  7,  '02. 
T>.  C.  Kenworthy,  n^e  22,  bujjler,  Co.  II;  nuist.  in  Sept.  1,  '02. 
Wm.  Sharton,  age  23,  bugler,  Co.  G;  must,  in  Feb.  7,  '(52. 
S.  .1.  Hunt,  age  27,  fan-ier,  Co.  H;  must,  in  Sept.  1,  '(>2;  reduced  to 

ranks,  July  1,  '02,  and  discharged  for  dis;ibility. 
Benj.  Shuman,  age  31,  fan-ier,  Co.  H;  miist.  in  July  1,  '02;  died  of 

chronic  diarrhea,  Nov.  30,  '63,  at  Little  Rock. 
John  Dull,  age  44,  farrier,  Co.  H;  must,  in  Aug.  10,  '61;  died  at  Little 

Rock,  Oct.  13,  '03,  of  diarrhea. 
Henry  Wood,  age  37,  wagoner,  Co.  H;    must,  in  Aug.  10,  '61. 
W.  H.  Adams,  age  19,  private,  Co.  H;  must,  in  Aug.  10,  '(il. 
Silas  Adams,  age  20,  private,  Co.  H;  must,  in  Aug.  10.  '01. 
Jas.  C.  Allen,  age  24,  private,  Co.  H;  must,  in  Aug.  10,  '01. 
Jos.  S.  Bates,  age  24,  private,  Co.  H;  must,  in  Aug.  10,  '01. 
Sterling  S.  Bates,  age  24,  private,  Co.  H;  must,  in  Aug.  10,  '61. 
S.  H.  Babb,  age  24,  private,  Co.  H;  must,  in  Aug.  10,  '61. 
Wasliington  Bernard,  age  32,  private.  Co.  H;  must,  in  Aug.  10,  '61. 
F.  P.  Birkhall,  age  2S.  private,  Co.  H;  must,  in  Aug.  10,  '61. 
I).  H.  Bristow,  age  19,  private,  Co.  H;  must,  in  Aug.  10,  '01;  died  at 

Memphis,  Sept.  26,  '03. 
F.  Burdan,  age  20.  corp..  Co.  H;  must,  in  Aug.  10,  '61. 
N.  A.  Carroll,  age  18.  private,  Co.  H;   must,  in  Aug.  10.  '01. 
David  Carnes.  age  19.  private,  Co.  H;   must,  in  Aug.  10.  '01. 
Wm.  H.  Cowan,  age  19,  private,  Co.  H;  must,  in  Aug.  10,  '01;  pro- 
moted sergeant. 
Jas.  Craig,  age  29,  private,  Co.  H;  must,  in  Aug.  10.  '01. 
Thos.  H.  Dull,  age  19,  private,  Co.  H;  must,  in  Aug.  10,  '01. 
Chilon  Dixon,  age  19,  private,  Co.  H;  must,  in  Aug.  10,  '01. 
Thos.  II.  Flder.  age  2.5.  private,  Co.  H;  must,  in  Aug.  10.  '01;  piv)- 

muted  hos.  sin-.,  2d  bat.,  Oct.  7,  '01. 
Tlios.  Fauts.  age  24,  private,  Co.  H:   must,  in  Aug.  10,  '01;   disch:irg(>d 

for  disability,  Sept.  13,  '62. 
J.  H.  Fcrman,  age  21,  private,  Co.  H;  must,  in  .\ug.  10,  '01. 
Henry  C.  Gilbert,  age  18,  private,  Co.  H;  must,  in  Aug.  10,  '61. 
A.  J.   Harrison,  age  24,  private,  Co.  II;  must,   in  Aug.   Id.  'f,i :  dis- 

ehargetl  at  Burlington,  August,  '61. 
Isaac  H.irtsuck,  age  22,  private,  Co.  H;   must,  in  Aug.  10,  '61. 
Lafe.  Harris,  age  IS,  private,  Co.  H;  must,  in  Aug.  10,  '61;  died  of 

tyi)lioid  fever  at  Jefferson  City,  Jan.  29,  '62. 
Josephus  Hays,  age  19,  private,  Co.  H;  must,  in  Aug.  3,  '61;  promoted 

3d  sergeant. 
C.  H.  Holmes,  age  21.  private,  Co.  II;   must,  in  Aug.  .".,  '01;   dii-d  Nov. 

8.  '05,  of  diarrhea. 

Itichiud  S.  Knight,  age  20,  private,  Co.  H;  must.  In  Aug.  3,  '61. 

W.  B.  Kendall,  age  39,  private,  Co.  H;  must  in  Aug.  3,  '61. 

C.  O.  Leary,  age  42,  private.  Co.-H;  must.  In  Aug.  3,  'Gl;  died  June 

9.  '03.  at  RoUo,  Mo. 


72  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

Wm.  Mann,  age  25,  farrier,  Co.  H;  must,  in  Aug.  3,  '61. 

Dyas  Neil,  age  21,  private,  Co.  H;  must,  in  Aug.  3,  '61. 

David  W.  Scott,  age  25,  private,  Co.  H;  must,  in  Aug.  3,  '61;  died 
Jan.  6,  '64,  of  diarrhea. 

M.  W.  Sullivan,  age  20,  private,  Co.  H. 

Ben.  J.  Shuman,  age  31,  private,  Co.  H;  must,  in  Aug.  3,  '61. 

Israel  Shepherd,  age  21,  private,  Co.  H;  must,  in  Aug.  3,  '61;  dis- 
charged Dec.  8,  '62;  died  at  Springfield,  Mo.,  Dec.  9,  '62. 

Geo.  Sturgis,  age  23,  private,  Co.  H;  must,  in  Aug.  3,  '61. 

Robt.  Sinclair,  age  29,  private,  Co.  H;  must,  in  Aug.  3,  '61. 

W.  H.  Spurgin,  age  19,  private,  Co.  H;  must,  in  Aug.  3,  '61. 

Robt.  W.  Tuttle,  age  21,  private,  Co.  H;  must,  in  Aug.  3,  '61. 

Mason  M.  Swift,  private,  Co.  H;  must,  in  Aug.  3,  '61;  rejected— over 
age. 

V.  M.  Guinn,  age  21,  private,  Co.  H;   must,  in  Aug.  3,  '61. 

H.  H.  Jefferson,  age  21,  private,  Co.  H;  must,  in  Aug.  3,  '61. 

C.  A.  Emery,  age  23,  private,  Co.  H;  must,  in  Aug.  3,  '61. 
Geo.  C.  Thompson,  age  21,  private,  Co.  H;  must,  in  Aug.  4,  '61. 
Albert  Gilbert,  age  25,  private,  Co.  H;  must,  in  Aug.  3,  '61;  died  of 

typhoid  fever,  Dec.  26,  '62,  at  Prairie  Grove,  Ark. 
L.  B.  Hazard,  age  23,  private,  Co.  H;   must,  in  Aug.  3,  '61. 
Joseph  B.  Teas,  age  18,  private,  Co.  H;  must,  in  Aug.  3,  '61. 
S.  M.  Kester,  age  18,  private,  Co.  H;  must,  in  Aug.  3,  '61. 
J.  L.  Staggers,  age  25,  private,  Co.  H;  must,  in  Aug.  3,  '61. 
L.  R.  Frenier,  age  23,  private,  Co.  H;  must,  in  Aug.  8,  '62. 
Abrara  Remson,  age  28,  private,  Co.  H;  must,  in  Aug.  8,  '62. 

D.  H.  Ferman,  age  24,  private,  Co.  H;  must,  in  Aug.  S,  '62. 
John  Gilbert,  age  25,  private,  Co.  H ;  must,  in  Aug.  8,  '61. 
AV.  T.  Maxwell,  age  24,  private,  Co.  H;  must,  in  Aug.  8,  '62. 
L.  B.  Cai'lton,  age  21,  private,  Co.  H;  must,  in  Aug.  8,  '62. 
Albert  T.  Hart,  age  18,  private,,  Co.  H;  must,  in  Aug.  8,  '62. 
John  Hampton,  age  29,  private,  Co.  H;  must,  in  Aug.  8,  '62. 

J.  F.  B.  Searcy,  age  36,  private,  Co.  H;  must,  in  Aug.  8,  '62;  dis- 
charged for  disability,  Feb.  23,  '65. 

A.  K.  Georges  ago  19.  private,  Co.  H;  must,  in  Aug.  8,  '62;  died  Nov. 
7,  '63,  at  Georgetown. 

D.  M.  Rider,  age  IS,  private,  (}o.  H:  must,  in  Aug.  8,  '62. 

Dallas  Richardson,  age  19,  private;  must,  in  Feb.  24.  '64;  unassigned 
to  company  in  Adjutant-General's  Report. 

Arch.  Sinclair,  age  18,  private;  must,  in  Feb.  24,  '64;  imassigned 
to  company  in  Adjufamt-General's  Report. 

Wm.  W.  Davis,  age  18,  private,  Co.  H;  must,  in  Feb.  25,  '64;  killed 
l-\'b.  28,  '65.  near  Mempliis,  Tenn. 

John  M.  Spi-ague,  age  26,  private,  Co.  H;  must,  in  Feb.  22,  '64. 

Geo.  Leas,  age  18,  private,  Co.  H;  must,  in  June  20,  '64. 

SECOND  CAVALRY.  ' 

Sam'l  Austin,  age  18,  private.  Co.  K;  must,  in  March  19,  '(i4. 
Alonzo  O.  Barber,  age  34,  private,  Co.  L;  must,  in  March  10,  '64. 
J.  M.  Taylor.  Co.  K. 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA.  73 

THIRD  CAVALRY. 

GiH>.  M  .  Stanuu.  ajre  12:?,  1st  sor.,  Co.  K;  iiiiist.  in  .Inly  1(5,  'G12;  pro- 

moUnl  1st  licutt'iiaut,  '04. 
^^■ln.  Austin,  age  10.  private,  Co.  K;  luust.  in  8opt.  14,  '01. 
Jas.  M.  Miller,  ajie  21.  private,  Co.  K;  must,  in  Sept.  14,  '01. 
N.  N.  Williamson,  age  "-7.  private,  Co.  K;  must,  in  Sept.  14,  '01. 
W.  S.  Lewis,  age  42.  B.  V.  S.,  Co.  K;  must,  in  Nov.  27,  '01. 
W.  H.  H.  Asberry.  age  24,  r)tli  ser.,  Co.  E;  must,  in  Sept.  4,  '01;  dis- 

ehargeil  fur  disability  at  St.  Louis  in  '02. 
Alvin   II.  Griswald.  age  2('..  2(1  lieut..  Co.  K:  must,  in  Sept.   14,  '01; 

killed  in  ambush.  Village  Creek,  Ark.,  June  27,  '02. 
Thos.  Commons,  age  2">,  r»tli  ser.,  Co.  K;  must,  in  Sept.  1.  'r(2. 
A.  D.  Woodruir.  age  34,  Otli  eorp.,  Co.  K:  must,  in  Sept.  14,  '01;  re- 

dueetl  to  ranks. 
Arthur  K.  Ewing,  age  30,  wagi>ner,  Co.  K;   mu>t.  in  St-pt.  3,  '01. 
W.  II.  Blake,  age  22,  private.  Co.  K;  must,  in  Sept.  3,  '02;  promoted 

corporal. 
Thos.  Borman,  age  24,  private,  Co.  K;  must,  in  Sept.  3,  '01. 
John  Cuch,  age  IS,  private,  Co.  K;  must,  in  Sept.  3,  '(il. 
G.  W.  Holt,  age  30,  private.  Co.  K;  must,  in  Sept.  3.  '01. 
Robert  Tyrrell,  age  18,  Co.  K. 
A.  J.  Graves,  age  IS,  teamster,  Co.  X;   must,  in  Sept.  12.  '01. 

FOURTH  CAVALRY. 

John  H.  Ryan,  age  19,  private,  Co.  F;   must,  in  Nov.  23,  '01. 
Andrew  N.  Stamm,  age  35,  1st  ser.,  Co.  G;  must,  in  Oct.  1,  '02;  pro- 
moti'd  2d  lieutenant;   served  in  Mexican  War. 

SEVENTH  CAVALRY. 

Divid  R.  Copple,  age  10.  private,  Co.  I;  must,  in  March  2S.  '04. 
Wni.  S.  Babb,  age  10,  private,  Co.  D:  must,  in  March  28,  '(!4. 

THIRD  BATTERY. 

Andrew  II.  Robb,  age  27,  must,  in  Jan.  1,  '04. 
.las.  H.  Robb,  age  20;  must,  in  Jan.  1.  '04. 

The  J>i(ift. 

Dui'iii^'  th«'  liiTtiM-  i>!irt  of  L"^<»-  Adjiitautdencnil  liaker 
issued  an  order  that  a  di'aft  he  made  in  Iowa  to  raii^e 
recruits,  but  Secretary  of  War  ('anierou  proi'oj^ueil  the 
order,  on  the  j^-ounds  that  the  order  should  issue  from  a 
Federal  source  instead  of  from  the  State;  but  in  November, 
Ls(j4,  a  draft  was  made  in  five  townships  in  Mourot?  County, 
which  w<'re  in  ari-ears  of  their  respeilive  quotas.  . 

Many  of  those  who  were  enrolled  for  draft  were  ex- 
empted, i)winji:  to  disability. 

Followinj;  is  a  list  of  those  who  were  enrolled  for  draft 
in  Monroe  County: 


74  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

Urbana  Township:  Geo.  R.  Robinson,  Alvixi  Stocker, 
Wm,  Malion,  Jephtba  Robinson,  Nimrod  Martin,  C.  C.  Van- 
cleve,  Wm.  Mclntyre,  Joe  M.yers,  Adam  Law,  Tbos.  Forsiter, 
W.  R.  Stoops,  D.  J.  Mclutyrej  Wm.  Gutch,  and  J.  J.  Dale. 

Franklin :  Mark  Talley,  Bryant  Finney,  Jacob  S.  Ware, 
Thomas  Murray,  A.  D.  Palmer,  Stewart  Townsend,  Geo. 
Grimes,  and  Samuel  R.  Potts. 

Wayne:     Geo.  W.  Youtsey,  A.  J,  Phillips, Bromes, 

James  S,  Hogeland,  Daniel  vStriblen,  Isoni  Adcock,  J.  W. 
Payne,  and  Wm.  Spurling. 

Cedar:     S.  B.  McCarkle,  Geo.  Kirkendall,  Geo.  Crosier, 

I.  L.  McCoy,  Bartley  Murr,  Joshua  Weaver,  Wm.  Wills, 
Rufus  Witham,  Alfred  Goss,  Lot  King,  Hubbard  Wilson, 
and  Wm.  Burnett. 

Union:  Elias  Gilbert,  Isiaac  Hittle,  D.  C.  Watson,  and 
Michael  Heffron. 

Military  Organizations. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  the  militia  organizations  in 
Monroe  County  from  18C1  to  18()5,  as  shown  by  rolls  on 
tile  in  the  Adjutant-General's  office: 

Monroe  Guards,  Captain  H.  Saunders;  organized  May 

II,  18G1;  accepted  for  Sixth  Infantry. 

Monroe  Light  Horse,  Captain  Daniel  Anderson;  organ- 
ized May  11,  1861 ;  accepted  for  First  Cavalry. 

Voluniteer  Militia  of  Ui*bana  Township,  Captain  J.  M. 
Taylor;  date  of  organization  not  given. 

Albia  Rifles,  Captain  H.  Bachelder;  organized  August 
24,  1861. 

Stacyville  Union  Guards,  Captain  Levi  J.  Bidwell; 
orga,nized  June  15, 1861. 

Melrose  Guards,  Captain  W.  II.  H.  Lind;  organized 
October  21,  1861. 

Urbana  Gravs,  Captain  J.  M.  Tavlor;  organized  July 
15,1861. 

Monroe  Guards,  Captain  Geo,  P.  Bartow;  organized 
September  16,  1863. 

Melrose  Gravs,  Captain  James  M.  Blue;  organized  July 
10, 1863. 

Albia  State  Guards,  ('aptain  John  Hull;  organized 
May  30,  1863. 

Franklin  Sharpshooters,  Captain  Jno.  L.  Smith;  organ- 
ized August  23,  1864. 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA.  75 

Military  Compauy  of  Monroe  Towusbip,  Captain  Elias 
Combs;  organized  August  I'O,  18G4. 

Lovillia  Independent  Company,  Union  Township, 
Captain  John  Walker ;  organized  August,  1SG4. 

Urbana  Union  Company,  (Japtain  Newton  Vancleve; 
organized  September  o,  18r>4. 

The  Albialnvincibles,  Captain  Levi  S.  T,  Hatton;  organ- 
ized September  16,  1804. 

Union  Township  Military  Company,  Captain  Allen 
Roberts;  organized  August  27.  1804:. 

Kough  and  Ready  Company,  Mantua  Township,  Captain 
W.  J.  McCormick;  organized  August  IS,  1864. 

Military  Company,  Cedar  Township,  Captain  John 
Amos;  organized  August  24,  1804. 

Pleasant  Corner  Company,  Pleasant  Township,  Captain 
\Vm.  Glass;  organized  August  12,  1864. 

First  Company,  Troy  Township,  Captain  Henry  Saun- 
ders; organized  August  6,  1864. 

Osprey  Rangei's,  Captain  John  M.  Hays;  organized 
September  6,  1804. 

Wayne  Township  Company,  Captain  Thos.  P.  Jones; 
organized  August  6,  1864. 

Blutt"  Creek  Rangers,  Captain  Chas.  Claver;  organized 
August  18,  1864. 

Gilford  Township  Company,  Captain  Isaac  P.  Babb; 
organized  August  23,  1864. 

Pleasant  Township  Company,  Captain  Wni.  Robb; 
organized  August  27,  1864. 

A  number  of  companies  in  the  foregoing  list  of  militia 
organizations  were  but  partially  organized,  and  did  not 
receive  any  arms  or  accouterments  from  the  State,  in 
sufficient  numbers.  Indeed,  at  the  presi*nt  day,  there  is 
some  dispute  as  to  the  actual  existence  of  one  or  more  of 
these  companies,  but  their  rolls  are  om  file  in  the  Adjutant- 
General's  office  at  Des  Moines. 

The  threatened  invasion  of  the  soutlu'ra  Iowa  border 
by  rebels  during  the  war,  and  especially  during  its  closing 
period,  when  a  guerrilla  band  did  make  a  raid  into  Davis 
County,  called  some  of  this  "raw  militia''  into  existence. 
They  were  armed  principally  with  their  own  squirrel  rifles, 
shot-guns,  and  tire-arms  of  every  description.  The  State 
distributed  a  few  old  muskets  among  them,  and  also  sup- 
plied many  citizens  with  arms,  which,  when  the  scare  was 


76  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

over,  and  quiet  restored,  were  called  in  by  the  Adjutant- 
General,  and  were  recovered  to  the  State  arsenal  with  some 
delay  and  difficulty. 

In  1875  two  miliiia  companies  were  organized  in 
Monroe  County.  The  Albia  City  Cruards,  organized  inde- 
pendently of  the  State  miLitia  law,  was  organized  by  John 
Doner,  who  is  at  present  sheriti  of  Monroe  County.  He 
aotnd  as  captain  of  the  ooinpany.  The  company  was  soon 
organized  as  Company  E,  Fifth  Regiment,  Iowa  National 
(luards,  and  was  assigned  as  the  color  company  of  the 
regiment,  carrying  with  it  the  regimental  band,  with  Cass 
Kamsay  as  leader.  Captain  Doner  continued  in  command 
of  the  company.  Captain  Doner's  company  was  also  en- 
rolled in  the  State  Militia  as  Company  E. 

The  O'ther  company  wa;s  chietiy  composed  of  veterans  of 
the  late  war,  and  was  enrolled  as  Company  K,  with  W.  A. 
Gray  as  captain.  Captain  W.  S.  Coen  also  commanded  the 
former  company  on  the  resignation  of  Doner,  and  Harry 
Moore  succeeded  Gray  as  captain  of  the  latter.  Both 
companiesi  disbanded  in  two  or  three  years. 

List  of  Soldiers  Residing  in  Monroe   County   Who  Enlisted 
from  Other  Localitits. 

This  list  was  made  July  1,  189(). 
J.  T.  Kowe,  Company  A,  8d  Illinois  Infantry  (Mexican  War). 
John  Walker,  Company  B,  4th  Illinois  Infantry. 
E.  T.  Paulline,  Company  P,  38th  Illinois  Infantry. 
W^esley  Donegan,  Company  A,  10th  Illinois  Infantry. 
C.  Stewart,  Company  E,  12th  Illinois  Infantry. 
Joseph  Wallace,  Company  C,  15th  Illijiois  Infantry. 
Fergus  Mayor,  Company  B,  .'{8th  Illinois  Infantry. 
S.  M.  King,  Comi)any  E,  20th  Illinois  Infantry. 
Owen  O'Maley,  Company  F,  22d  Illinoisi  Infantry. 
G.  W.  Fordyce,  Company  A,  33d  Illinois!  Infantry. 
Morgan  Wynn,  Company  A,  33d  Illinois  Infantry. 
S.  M.  Brunhall,  Company  F,  SOth  Illinois  Infantry. 
Oscar  Moffitt,  Company  E,  42d  Illinois  Infantry. 
Chas.  Gott,  Battery  A,  ;>d  Illinois  Light  Artillery. 
Spencer  Spillar,  Company  E,  50th  Illinois  Infantry. 
Henry  Brown,  Company  A,  SOth  Illinois  Infantry. 
G.  W.  Anderson,  Company  K,  05th  Illinois  Infantry. 
J.  P.  Early,  Company  F,  93d  Illinois  Infantry. 
Marion  Keelon,  Company  B,  lOOth  Illinois  Infantry, 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  TOW  A.  77 

John  W.  Alfoi'd,  ('oini)a,ny  I,  lOlst  Illinois  Infantry. 
\V.  French.  Company  K,  H'ith  Illinois  Infant i-y. 
J.  M.  ]>ellman.  Coniitany  II.  iLMIth  Illinois  Infantry. 
Joseph  Wood,  Company  II,  12Gtli  Illinois  Infa.ntry, 
Thad.  S.  Stewart,  Compaaiy  K,  l.'>7th  Illinois  Infantry. 
Joseph  Garver.  Company  I,  ISGtli  Illinois  Infantry. 
John  Hicksou,  Company  15,  0th  Illinois  Infantry. 
Frank  Ilartman,  Battery  C  1st  Illinois  Artillery. 
Ben  F.  Rose.  ComiKmy  B,  511i  Indiana  Infant  i-y. 
Clay  Eshom,  Company  A,  14th  Indiana  Infantry. 
Frank  Campbell,  Company  C.  14th  Indiana  Infantry. 
Tim  Kennedy,  Company  C,  20th  Indiana  Infantry. 
Geo.  Loer,  Company  B,  33d  Indiana  Infantry. 
H.  H.  Mercer,  Company  E,  15th  Indiana  Infantry. 
Joseph  Main,  Company  A,  37th  Indiana  Infantry. 
A.  S.  Lidell,  Company' E,  30th  Indiana  Infantry'. 
Ed  I.  Ramsay,  Company  B,  43d  Indiana  Infantry. 
S.  A.  Sparks,  Company  K,  43d  Indiana  Infantry. 
Geo,  Nevins,  Company  K,  43d  Indiana  Infantry. 
M.  M.  McDowell,  Company  H,  44th  Indiana.  Infantry. 
Clarion  Lonjj.  Company  B,  50th  Indiana  Infantry. 
W.  I).  Rnssell,  Company  I),  07th  Indiana  Infantry. 
David  Richart,  Company  E,  101st  Indiana  Infantry. 
John  Willis.  Company  II,  135th  Indiana  Infantry. 

Wm.  Willcox,  Company  K,  147th  Indiana  Infantry. 

Henry  Darinjj,  Wilder  Battery. 

Z.  Elinofon,  Company  E,  7th  Ohio  Infantry. 

Joseph  Rvan,  Comi)anv  C,  Stli  Oliio  Infantry. 

n.  B.  :Moore,  Companies  B,  A.  and  F.  l.-.th.  27tli.  and  25th 
Ohio  Infantry. 

Bntler  Raney,  Company  D.  15th  Ohio  Infanti-y. 

J.  C.  Howay,  Comj^any  A,  23d  Ohio  Infantry. 

W.  N.  Crawford.  Conipany  B.  3(;th  Ohio  Infantry. 

C.  L.  Root,  Company  K.  30th  Ohio  Infantry. 

W.  B.  Dewey,  Company  B,  41st  Ohio  Infantry. 

J.  K.  Welt,  Company  E.  52d  Ohio  Infantry. 

Ben  Hall.  Company  B,  02d  Ohio  Infantry. 

Wm.  Davis,  Companv  D,  Slst  Ohio  Infantry. 

C.L.  Nelson.  Company  C,  SI st  Ohio  Infantry. 

J.  F.  Jnnkin.  Company  B,  ISth  Illinois  Infantry. 

Chas.  :McCombs.  Company  F.  !>Sth  Ohio  Infantry. 

Aaron  Millard.  Company  K.  3d  Iowa  Cavalry. 

C.  W,  Montgomery,  Com])any  H.  5S(h  Illinois  Infantry. 


78  BISTORT  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

Mike  Moser,  Company  F,  2d  Ohio  Infantry. 

A.  J.  Otley,  Company  A,  19th  Iowa  Infantry. 
Wm.  Porter,  Company  H,  2d  Iowa  Infantry. 
Ben  Bobbins,  Company  B,  3d  Iowa  Infantry. 
S,  J).  Sarver,  Company  M,  3d  Iowa  Cavalry. 

Noaih  Schofield,  Company  E,  1st  Iowa  Colored  Cavalry 

B.  Searcy,  Company  K,  2d  Iowa  Infantry. 

J.  N.  Smith,  Company  E,  Gist  Illinois  Infantry. 

N.  J.  Smith,  Company  G,  57th  Indiana  Infantry. 

J.  G.  Thayer,  Company  D,  15th  Iowa  Infantry. 

J.  B.  Varner,  Company  A,  4th  Iowa  Infantry. 

Joe  Walden,  Company  B,  30th  Iowa  Infantry. 

D.  W.  Williams,  Company  B,  3Gth  Illinois  Infantry. 

J.  M.  Woodruff,  Battery  I,  2'd  Connecticut  Artillery. 

T.  N.  Wright,  Company  K,  61st  Illinois  Infantry. 

Francis  May,  Company'F,  40th  Iowa  Infantry. 

Whaley  Wilson,  Company  A,  40th  Iowa  Infantry. 

Ezra  Gurwell,  Company  — ,  45th  Iowa  Infantry. 

Ed  Dougherty,  Company  A,  45th  Iowa  Infantry. 

Eli  McAlister,  Company  E,  4th  Iowa  Cavalry. 

David  Hansen,  Company  B,  5th,  Iowa  Cavalry. 

Frank  Perrin,  Company  A,  5th  Iowa  Cavalry. 

Levi  W.  Billings,  Company  B,  7th  Iowa  Cavalry. 

J.  W.  Nye,  Company  L,  7th  Iowa  Cavalry. 

Isaac  Judson,  Battery  I,  4th  Iowa  Artillery. 

A,  G,  Young,  Company  K,  36th  Ohio  Infantry. 

J.  D.  Ralston,  Company  I),  15th  Iowa  Infantry. 

J.  W.  Neff,  Company  G,  17th  Missouri  Infantry. 

Wm.  Haycock,  Company  E,  15th  United  States  Infantry. 

I.  N.  Tyrrell,  Company  I,  2d  Kansas  Cavalry, 

H.  C.  Beemer,  Company  B,  6th  Kansas  Cavalry. 

W.  T.  Johnson,  Company  G,  19th  Kansas  Cavalry. 

A.  R.  Barnes,  Company  C,  8th  Wisconsin  Infantry. 

Wm.  Remey,  Company  D,  35th  W^isconsin  Infantry. 

Thos.  Remey,  Company  — ,  —  Wisconsin  Infantry. 

Paul  C,  Oehler,  Company  I,  1st  Arkansas  Infantry. 

John  Dilts,  Company  C,  12th  Michigan  Infantry. 

Boise  Piersol,  Company  B,  22d  Michigan  Infantry. 

J.  H.  Miller,  Company  A,  3d  Michigan  Cavalry. 

Henry  Maneor,  Company  I,  15th  Michigan  Infantry. 

M.  J.  Brown,  Company  I,  7th  Michigan  Cavalry. 

D.  W.  Kenworthy,  Company  D,  1st  Oregon  Cavalry. 

Wm.  Nelson,  Company  K,  1st  Colorado  Cavalry. 


niSiTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA.  79 

Wm.  Jameson,  Company  — ,  10th  Tennessee  Infantry. 
J.  B.  Baskett,  Company  B,  4th  Tennessee  Cavalry. 
G.  L.  Eaton,  Company  C,  (ith  New  Hampshire  Cavalry. 

D.  Allison,  Company  I),  ^d  Virj^nia  ('aA'alry. 
H.  Rosseau,  Company  F,  1st  Nevada  Cavalry. 

J.  J.  Budd,  Company  I,  22d  Unitod  f^tates  Army. 
Patrick  Ferris,  Heavy  Artillery. 
Matthew  Speer,  Signal  Corps. 

Wm.  M.  Glenny,  surgeon.  United  States  Volunteers. 
R.  C.  Davis,  Company  1),  10th  Iowa  Infantry. 
John  Harbison,  Company  A,  30th  Iowa  Infantry. 
A.  Grayson,  Company  B,  25th  Illinois  Infantry. 
W.  B.  French,  Company  K,  112th  Illinois  Infantry. 
W.  Gragg,  Company  E,  2d  Missouri  Cavalry. 
John  Hoyt,  Company  C,  7th  Iowa  Infantry. 
Jas.  Howell,  Company  I,  Tth  Kentucky  Infantry. 
W.  J.  Johnson,  Company  C,  IGtli  Illinois  Infantry. 
J.  M.  Johnson,  Company  C,  10th  Illinois  Infantry. 

E.  B.  Brown,  Company  D,  177th  Ohio  Infantry. 
D.  O.  Clapp.  Company  K,  40th  Iowa  Infantiy. 
Francis  Clear,  Company  C,  7th  Iowa  Infantry. 
Monroe  Johnson,  Company  C,  1st  Iowa  Infantry. 
Paris  Howard,  Company  1),  7th  Iowa  Infantry. 
J.  D.  Clouse,  Company  H,  7th  Iowa  Infantry. 

S.  Beedle,  Company  I,  7th  Iowa  Infantry. 

Ben  Chedister,  Company  B,  7th  Iowa  Infantry. 

Isom  Adcox,  Company  I,  7th  Iowa  Infantry. 

Sumner  Smith,  Company  K,  7th  Iowa  Infantry. 

W.  S.  Cousins,  Company  H,  7th  Iowa  Infantry. 

Jas.  Phipps,  Company  B,  0th  Iowa  Infantry. 

J.  J.  Moody,  Company  B,  14th  Iowa  Infantry. 

J.  C.  Robinson.  Company  K,  14th  Iowa  Infantry. 

J.  M.  England,  Company  I.  14th  Iowa  Infantry. 

O.  J.  Plymate,  Company  C,  ISth  Iowa  Infantry. 

S.  A.  Newell,  Company  C,  l.'^th  Iowa  Infantry. 

Frank  Criddlebaugh,  ComiKiny  F,  23d  Iowa  Infantry. 

Andy  Riley,  Company  A,  20th  Iowa  Infantry. 

Jacob  Mater,  Company  B,  30th  Iowa  Infantry. 

el.  B.  Snodgrass,  Company  T,  30th  Iowa  Infantry. 

J.  H.  Hittle,  Company  D."32d  Iowa  Infantry. 

G.  L.  Robb,  Company  E.  33d  Iowa  Infantry. 

Sam'l  Ream.  Company  C,  33d  Iowa  Infantry. 

J.  A.  Crozier,  Company  H.  17th  Iowa  Infantr}-. 


80  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY.  IOWA. 

Richard  O'Oonnell,  Battery  I).  1st  United  States  Artillery, 

Ira  G.  Campbell,  Company  B,  8Hd  Illinois  Infantry. 

Tom  Ramej^,  Company  I,  20tli  Wisconsin  Infantry. 

John  Doner,  Battery  D,  Ist  Illinois  Light  Artillery. 

Thos.  Boyle,  Battery  — ,  3d  Iowa  Artillery. 

A.  H.  Leech,  Company  H,  94th  Ohio  Infantry. 

J.  Runj^an,  Company  F,  44th  Ohio  Infa.nti'y. 

T.  B.  Shipley,  Company  B,  122d  Ohio  Infantiy. 

David  Nichol,  Company  G,  174th  Ohio  Infantry. 

T.  W.  Campbell,  Company  A,  59th  Ohio  Infantry. 

J.  C.  Smith,  Company  B,  170th  Ohio  Infantry. 

L.  A.  Chamberlin,  Company  B,  41st  Ohio  Infantry, 

H.  H,  Herringlon,  Company  B,  41st  Ohio  Infantry, 

Geo,  ShaJian,  Company  G,  3d  Pennsylvania  Infantry, 

T,  B,  Hildebrand,  Company  B,  49tli  Pennsylvania  Infantry, 

E,  Granley,  Company  C,  79th  Pennsylvania  Infantry, 

H,  Q,  Adam®,  Company  H.  140tli  Pennsylvania  Infantry, 

Conrad  De  Ross,  Company  H,  150th  Pennsylvania  Infantry, 

A.  Burlingame,  Company  G,  108th  Pennsylvania  Infantry. 

D.  C.  Miller,  Oompainy  M,  1st  Cavalry. 
Robt.  C.  Payne,  Company  B,  8th  Cavalry. 
Thos.  F.  Allison,  Battery  T,  5th  Light  Artilleiy. 
A.  D.  Halsey,  Company  K,  3d  New  York  Infantry. 
W.  H.  Sanford,  Company  II,  24th  New  York  Infantry. 
Carl  Moses,  Company  I,  24th  New  York  Infantry. 
W.  T.  George,  Company  A,  143d  New  York  Infantry, 
Fred  Kurtz,  Company  I,  15th  New  York  Infantry, 

J.  F.  Randolph,  Company  F,  27th  INIissouri  Infantry. 

E.  Husted,  Company  D,  51. st  Missouri  Infantry. 
M.  Murphy,  Company  E.  12th  Missouri  Cavalry. 
W.  G.  Greg-g,  Company  B,  2d  Missouri  Cavalry. 
John  W.  Terry,  Merrill's  Horse. 

Fred  G.  Wentry,  Battery  B,  1st  INIissouri  Artillery. 
J.  H.  Brewer,  Company  A,  Otli  Missouri  Cavalry. 

The  f^oldier  Dead  in  Oal-  Tkw  Cemetery,  Alhia,  Iowa. 

A  complete  list  of  deceased  soldiers  in  Oak  View  Ceme- 
tery, May  30,  1896,  with  date  of  death  as  far  as  known. 
Wills,  James  H,  Company  E,  (Jth  Iowa  Infantry,  died  May 

14th  1802. 
Kellogg,  Solomon,  Companv  E,  0th  Iowa  Infantrv,  Septem- 
ber 15,  1862.- 


HISTORY  OF  MOXROE  COUXTT,   fOWA.  81 

liVoiis,  Jamos  C,  Company  A,  -SBth  Iowa  Tnfantrv,  December 

:i,  18G2. 
Craip,  David,  Caini>a,nv  ]\.  ITtli  Iowa  Infantry.  August  21, 

181)3. 
Smith,  W.  H.,  Company  A,  .^(itli  Iowa  Infant iv,  August  31, 

isr.3. 

Webb,  John  W.,  Company  K.  3t»th  Infantry,  September  6, 

1863. 
^'a^ner,  M.  J..  Company  A,  3(Jth  Iowa  Infantry,  September 

13,  1863. 

Jennings,  Daniel,  May  28th,  1864. 

McCahan,  R.  G.,  Company  H.  2d  Iowa  Infantry,  September 

18,  1864. 
Chamberlain.  D.,  Company  H,  2d  Iowa  Infantry.  December 

20,  1864. 
^Voodruf!'.  John  W.,  Company  I,  7th  Iowa  Infantry,  May  16, 

1865. 
^^'ilson.  I*.  D..  Company  C,  6th  loAya  Infantry,  February  14, 

1866. 
Ornian,  J.  H.,  Company  E,  6th  Iowa  Infantry,  July  4,  1866. 
i;al)b,  A.  H.,  Company  H.  1st  Iowa  Cavalry.  July  l'  1866. 
Hoals,  S.  T..  Company  K.  36th  Iowa  Infantry.  March  1,  1867. 
lUichanan.  G.  W.,  Company  I),  22d  Iowa  Infantry,  March 

3,  1867. 
Parmenter,  Asahil,  Company  G,  37th  Iowa  Infantry,  Jan- 
uary 3,  1868. 
Waugh,  Alex,  Company  F,  8th  Iowa  Cavalry,  July  6,  1868. 
Cousins,  Moses,  surgeon,  36tli  Iowa  Infantry,  November  26, 

1868. 
Craig,  J.  W.,  Company  H,  17th  Iowa  Infantry,  October  22, 

1870. 
Shields,  D.  W.,  Company  — ,  85th  Pennsylvania   Infantry, 

October  17,  1871. 
Maxwell,  W.,  Company  A.  122d  Ohio  InfantiT,  February, 

1872. 
Cwlner.  J.  W..  Company  I.  8th  Iowa  Infantry.  April  18.  1872. 
Wilson.  K.  M.,  Company  D,  22d  Iowa  Infantry.  August  25. 

1875. 
Harding.  B.  F..  C:)nipa.iiv  C.  Stli  Iowa  Cavaliv.  November  23. 

1875. 
Ritchie.  A.  J.,  surgeon.  2d  Kansas  Infantry.  August  20,  187ti. 
Norman.  W.  H..  Compiinv  I).  22d  Iowa  Infantry.  Decembei- 

14,  1876. 


82  '  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

Hobson,  Samuel,  Company  G,  11th  Iowa  Infantry,  June  1, 

1882. 
Breese,  Tim,  Oompanj'  A,  3Gth  Iowa  Infantry,  November  12, 

1882. 
Tucker,  T.  A.,  Company  (i,  46tli  Iowa  Infantrj^,  1882. 
Smith,  T.  H.,  Company  D,  IGth  Ohio  Infantry,  April  1,  1884. 
Smith,  T.  J.,  Company  E,  (Jth  Iowa  Infantry,  May  31,  1884. 
McMichael,  Wm.,  Company  I,  8th  loAva  Infantry,  February 

7, 1886. 
Sinclair,  Hugh,  Company  D,  22d  Iowa  Infantry,  July  15, 

1887. 
Phinney,  Wm.,  Company  D,  22d  Iowa  Infantry,  March  10, 

1888.  "  . 

Lambert,  W.  S.,  surgeon,  0th  Iowa  Infantry,  March  13,  1888. 
Wood,  J.  H.,  Company  — ,  11th  Indiana  Infajitry,  August  20, 

1888. 
Miller,  Henry,  Company  G,  46th  Iowa  Infantry,  February 

19,  1890. 
Collins,  C,  Com])any  K,  8th,  and  F,  19th  Indiana  Infantry, 

January  15,  1891. 
James,  Blucher,  compan}',  regiment,  and  date  of  death  un- 
known. 
Darling,  Cyrus,  company,  regiment,  and  date  of  death  un- 
known. 
Cowger,  Jacob,  Company  C,  4Gth  Iowa  Infantry,  date  of 

death  unknown. 
Hilliard,  Wm.,  Company  H,  17th  Iowa  Infantry,  date  of 

death  unknown. 
Hartzer,  J.,  Company  C,  8th  Iowa  Cayalry,  date  of  death  un- 
known. 
Jones,  Dayid,  Company  E,  2d  Iowa  Infantry,  date  of  death 

unlvnown. 
Waples,  Wm.,  Company  F,  17th  Iowa  Infantry,  date  of  death 

unknown. 
Beaver,  S.  F.,  Company  B,  58th  Illinois  Infantry,  date  of 

death  unknown. 
Emerson,  Benson,  9th  Ohio  Cavalry,  died  June  6,  1892. 
Newton,  Elisha,  Company  G,  25th  Indiana  Infantry,  died 

April  9, 1893. 
Ferguson,  James,  Company  E,  6th  U.  S.  C.  T.,  died  December, 

1892. 
Welch,  Wm.,  Company  G,  37th  Iowa  Infantry,  August  17, 

1893. 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA.  83 

Ragley,  E.  R.,  Company  B,  54th  Illinois  Infantry,  June  20, 

1898. 
Brook,  Gcoifje  W.,  Company  K,  17th  Ohio  Infantry,  date  of 

death  unknown. 
Two  United  States  soldiers,  name,  company,  regiment,  and 

date  of  death  unknown, 
Saunders,  Hejiry,  captain,  Company  E,  6tli  Iowa  Volunteer 

Infantry,  July  10,  1894. 
Cuberly,  Felix,  Company  E,  .'{d  Iowa  Volunteer  Cavalry, 

November  15,  1876. 
Kellogg,  Josiah,  Company  G,  IGtli  Iowa  Volunteer  Infantry, 

September  14,  1895. 
Svlvestei%  L.  S.,  Companv  F,  8th  Iowa  Volunteer  Cavalry, 

April  1,  1896. 
Powell,  Cha-s.,  Mexican  War,  died  November  15,  1872. 
Teas,  Joseph  B.,  Black  Hawk  War,  died  Februarv,  1872. 
Richardson,  D.  A.,  Black  Hawk  ^Var,  died  May  20,  1874. 
Webb,  John,  War  of  1812,  December  5, 1875. 
Kendall,  Francis,  Black  Hawk  War,  July  12,  1878. 
Lambert,  Isaac,  W^ar  of  1812,  died  March  15,  1880. 
Howard,  John,  Black  Hawk  ^Var,  date  of  death,  unknown. 
Hatch,  Martin,  War  of  1812,  date  of  death  unknown. 
Rose,  Benjamin,  Mexican  War,  died  May  20,  1890, 

History  of  the  First  Iowa  Cavalry. 

Within  the  limited  space  assigned,  it  is  of  course  impos- 
sible to  give  anything  near  like  a  complete  history  of  this 
brave  and  intre])id  cavalry  regiment.  To  do  so  would  re- 
(piire  a  volume  in  itself. 

In  making  this  sketch,  the  writer  has  obtained  his  in- 
formation from  various  sources — by  personal  inquiries,  the 
Adjutant-General's  Records,  and  from  a  perusal  of  Chas.  H. 
Lotlnop's  very  elaborate  and  accurate  ''History  of  the  First 
Iowa  Cavalry." 

When  tlie  First  Iowa  Cavalry  was  organized  for  the 
United  Stales  service  in  ISCl,  the  lield  and  stafl"  was  com- 
posed as  follows:  Fit/, Henry  Warren,  colonel;  Chas.  E. 
Moss,  lieutenant-colonel;  E.  E,  Chamberlain  and  Jas.  O. 
Gower,  majors;  M,  B.  Cochran,  su!'g(»on;  D.  B,  Allen,  assist- 
ant-surgeon; Jas,  Lalhain,  chaplain;  Dr.  J.  E.  Stone,  ad- 
jutant; ^I.  L.  Alorris.  (]uartermas(er. 

Of  the  twelve  companies  coinj>osing  the  regiment,  Com- 
pany A  was  enrolled  in  Lee  County  and  organized  at  Keokuk. 


84  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

with  W.  M.  G.  Torrence  as  captain.    He  was  afterwards  pro 
moted  to  major;  and  was  also  piomoted  to  colonel  of  the 
.'iOth  Iowa  Infantry. 

Company  B,  the  "Hawkeye  Rangers,"  was  also  organized 
in  the  spring  of  1861,  with  W.  E.  Leflfingwell  as  captain. 
Later  he  was  succeeded  by  Sam'l  F.  Biirdett.  This  company 
was  enrolled    chiefly  from    Clinton  and  Jackson    counties. 

Company  C  was  enrolled  from  the  counties  of  Des 
Moines,  Louisa,  and  Lee,  with  Levi  Chase  as  captain. 

Company  D  was  enrolled  from  Warren  and  Madison 
counties,  and  organized  with  P.  Gr.  Bryan  as  captain. 


DANIEL,  ANDERSON,  Col.  First  Iowa  Cavalry. 

Company  E  was  organized  in  Henry  County,  with  Wil- 
liam Thompson  as  captain.  He  afterwards  commanded  the 
regiment. 

Company  F  was  enrolled  chiefly  in  the  counties  of 
W^ashington  and  Johnson,  with  Jas.  O.  Gower  as  captain. 
He  afterwards  rose  to  major  and  then  to  colonel. 

Company  G,  known  as  the  "Hardin  Rangers,"  was  en- 
rolled from  the  counties  of  Hardin,  Dubuque,  Black  Hawk, 
Jones,  and  Delaware,  with  Jas.  D.  Thompson  as  captain. 

Company  H  was  enrolled  in  the  counties  of  Monroe  and 
Lucas,  and  organized  at  Albia.  with  Dan'l  Anderson  as  cap- 
tain, afterwards  colonel  of  the  regiment;  Riley  Wescoatt 


HISTORY  OF   MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA.  85 

as  tii'st  liontcnant,  afterwards  cai)tain;  and  Win.  S.  Whise- 
naud  as  second  lienlenaut,  aftei-wards  captain  and  major. 

Company  I  went  from  Wapello  and  Keokuk  counties, 
with  a  few  from  Hancock  County,  111.  I.  W.  Caldwell  was 
elected  captain  and  rose  to  the  rank  of  major  and  lieutenant- 
colonel.  Dr.  David  C.  Dinsmore  was  first  lieutenant  and  W. 
H.  Kitterman  second  lieutenant;  Dinsmore  was  promoted 
to  captain. 

Company  K,  or  "I^uion  Riingers,"  was  enrolled  in  Clay- 
ton, Allamakee,  and  Winneshiek  <ounties,  with  Robt.  L. 
Freeman  as  captain. 

In  pursuance  of  an  order  from  the  Governor,  these  com- 
panies were  directed  to  meet  at  Ottumwa,  June  5,  1861,  to 
or<2:anize  into  a  regiment.  An  organization  was  accordingly 
completed  and  Fitz-Henry  Warren  was  chosen  colonel. 

At  this  time  no  call  had  "been  made  to  Iowa  for  cavalry, 
and,  indeed,  but  one  regiment  of  cavalry  had  been  called,  and 
that  was  the  First  Illinois  Cavalry.  It  was  mustered  into  the 
United  States  service  but  a  few  days  before. 

liy  an  act  of  Congress  approved  in  July  of  that  year,  the 
number  of  companies  constituting  a  cavalry  regiment  was 
raised  from  ten  to  twelve.  This  added  to  the  First  Cavalry 
Companies  L  and  M. 

The  men  of  Company  L  were  from  Dubuque,  Jackson, 
and  Jones  counties.     H.  H.  Heath  was  captain. 

Company  M  was  called  ''The  Black  Plume  Rangers,"  and 
the  men  were  mostly  from  Clinton  County.  It  was  organized 
with  W.  H.  Ankeny  as  captain.  The  Iowa  Legislature  ten- 
dered this  regiment  to  the  Secretary  of  War  as  an  indepen- 
dent regiment.  The  men  of  the  regiment  owned  their  own 
horses,  and  after  Inning  been  mustered  into  the  service  at 
lUirlington  and  taken  a  temporary  position  at  Keokuk,  Col. 
Warren  ottered  his  regiment  to  ^Major-General  John  C.  Frtl- 
mont,  whose  headquarters  were  at  St.  Louis.  Fremont  de- 
clined to  accept  the  regiment  unless  they  would  sell  their 
horses  to  the  Government  for  ^110  a  lu^^d  for  all  that  would 
j)ass  inspection.  They  were  fine  horses  and  were  worth 
much  more  at  that  time,  liesides,  tlu^  Government  allowed 
the  owner  (»f  a  horse  f<)rt.\  cents  a  day  for  use  and  risk  ot  his 
animal.  An  ai)peal  was  taken  to  the  Secretary  of  War.  and 
a  peremptory  order  was  issued  from  the  War  Department 
directing  Fr«''Mnont  to  receive  the  regiment  with  their  horses 
and  horse  e(juij»ments,  and  to  yiay  the  owners  of  the  horses 
forty  cents  pei-  day  for  theii-  use. 


86  HISTORY  OF  3I0NR0E  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

The  regiment  was  then  assigned  to  Camp  Benton,  near 
St.  Louis,  being  conveyed  thither  on  board  boats.  Six  of  the 
companies  were  carried  as  far  as  Montrose  on  board  the 
Jennie  Whipple,  and  from  there  the  Hannihal  City  took  them 
to  St.  liOuis.  The  other  four  companies  went  down  on  the 
next  boat  about  forty-eight  hours  later,  leaving  Companies 
L  and  M  at  Burlington,  to  await  their  equipments.  They  re- 
mained until  October  13th. 

While  the  first  section  of  the  regiment  was  on  its  way 
down  the  river,  and  while  passing  Alton,  111.,  a  man  on  a 
bluflf  fired  at  the  boat,  but  the  ball  fell  short  and  imbedded 
itself  in  a  barge,  among  the  horses.  The  shot  was  evidently 
aimed  at  a  group  of  troopers  sitting  around  the  pilot-house. 

On  October  18th,  Companies  A,  B,  F,  and  G,  under  com- 
mand of  Captain  Leffingwell,  were  ordered  to  join  Pope,  and 
embarked  on  Missouri  Kiver  steamers,  which  transported 
them  to  Camp  Price,  near  Jefferson  City,  and  afterwards 
joined  Pope  at  Humans ville  and  became  his  body-guard. 

On  November  1st  a  forced  march  was  made  to  Spring- 
field to  receive  a  threatened  attack  by  General  Price  on  the 
od,  but  Price  did  not  put  in  an  appearance.  He  was  hover- 
ing around  Springfield,  but  a  few  miles  south  of  the  town, 
and  Fremont's  army  was  anxious  to  make  a  dash  at  his  rebel 
hordes.  They  were  doomed  to  a  bitter  disappointment,  how- 
ever, for  on  November  2d  General  Hunter,  arriving  to  re- 
inforce Fr-^mont,  was  ordered  to  supersede  the  latter.  Hun- 
ter, in  taking  command,  evacuated  Springfield  and  fell  back 
to  the  Missouri  Kiver.  Tliis  left  the  southern  part  of  Mis- 
souri to  the  mercy  of  Price's  army.  A  short  time  later  Gen- 
eral Halleck  succeeded  Hunter. 

A  short  time  after  the  first  battalion  of  the  regiment 
took  the  field,  Companies  C  and  H,  under  command  of  Cap- 
tain Levi  Chase,  were  ordered  to  Rockport,  via  Jetferson 
City.  Here  they  joined  Prentice  in  his  campaign  in  northern 
Missouri,  after  which  they  returned  to  Jefferson  City  to 
spend  the  winter. 

About  this  time.  Companies  D  and  I  were  ordered  out, 
under  command  of  Captain  Caldwell,  to  join  General  Pope. 
They  joined  the  first  battalion  at  Syracuse,  a  small  town  in 
Morgan  County.  After  a  series  of  marches  and  skirmish- 
ing now  and  then,  the  regiment  finally  got  its  real  taste  of 
war  at  the  battle  of  Blackwater,  on  the  19th  of  December, 
ISGl.    In  this  engagement  the  enemy  surrendered  uncondi- 


HISTOm    OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA.  SI 

tionally,  after  making  a  running  light.  In  this  fight  Com- 
panies A,  D,  F,  and  I,  and  small  detachments  of  B  and  G, 
were  absent  on  scout  duty,  but  350  men  of  the  First  Cavalry, 
under  command  of  Torrence,  and  75  men  from  the  Foui-lh 
United  States  Cavalry,  together  with  a  section  of  Missouri 
Light  Artillery,  all  under  the  command  of  Colonel  Jefter- 
son  C.  Davis,  of  Indiana,  captured  11,900  of  the  enemy,  in- 
cluding olticers  and  men. 

Early  in  1S02  the  First  Iowa  Cavalry  was  divided  into 
several  small  detachments,  some  doing  cavalry  guard  duty, 
others  scouting,  skirmishing  now  and  then,  and  drilling 
Avhenever  not  otherwise  engaged. 

On  January  8, 1802,  the  First  Battalion  of  the  First  Iowa 
Cavalry,  a  portion  of  ilerrill's  Horse,  commanded  by  Major 
Hunt,  and  a  squadron  of  Ohio  Cavalry,  all  under  command 
of  MajoK  Torrence,  of  the  First  Iowa  Cavalry,  were  ordered 
by  General  Pope  to  attack  some  rebel  camps  in  the  vicinity 
of  Silver  Creek,  in  Randolph  County,  Missouri.  The  rebel 
force  consisted  of  about  800  men,  under  command  of  Uie 
noted  Poindexter.  The  army  lied  after  a  short  encounter, 
leaving  about  GO  of  their  number  killed;  100  wounded,  and 
all  their  equipage  and  200  horses  to  the  Union  forces.  The 
latter  lost  5  killed  and  about  20  wounded.  The  Union  force 
engaged  in  the  battle  of  Silver  Creek  was  520  men. 

Through  January  and  February  the  regiment  was  oc- 
cupied almost  dail}'  throughout  northern  Missouri,  partici- 
pating in  innumberable  skirmishes  with  the  enemy.  Now 
and  then  a  fugitive  slave  took  refuge  within  their  lines. 

In  November  the  First  and  Third  Battalions  of  the  regi- 
ment, commanded  by  Gower,  joined  General  Blunt's  com- 
mand in  an  attack  on  the  rebel  general  Hindman.  The  battle 
of  Prairie  Grove  was  fought,  and  in  that  memorable  battle 
the  First  Iowa  Cavalry  supported  one  of  Blunt's  batteries. 
Blunt,  with  5,000  men.  joined  Herron,  and  together  they 
crushed  an  enemy  of  25,000  men,  which  was  the  means  of 
reopening  Missouri  to  the  Union  causi*. 

At  tlie  end  of  1802  the  regiment  had  to  send  for  275  re- 
cruits to  till  up'  its  depleted  ranks. 

On  April  21,  18(»:5,  a  detachment  of  500  of  liu'  regiment, 
and  250  of  the  8th  Missouri  Cavalry,  all  commanded  by 
Major  Caldwell,  of  the  First  Iowa,  joined  Vandever  in  an 
attack  on  General  Marmaduke  in  southwestern  Missouri. 

On  the  morning  of  Mav  1st  the  command  attacked  the 


88  HISTORY  OF  MOMROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

rear  of  the  enemy  at  a  place  about  40  miles  from  Chalk 
Bluffs,  and,  after  a  running  fight  which  lasted  all  day,  the 
enemy  was  finally  driven  out  of  the  State. 

In  June  the  regiment,  in  command  of  Lieutenant-Colonel 
Anderson,  took  up  a  march  to  join  (leneral  Davidson  at 
Pilot  Knob,  in  his  contenifdated  move  against  Little  Rock. 
It  was  a  tedious  march  of  nearly  two  hundred  miles,  mostly 
through  the  swamps  of  the  White  and  St.  Francis  rivers, 
which  were  infested  with  guerrillas. 

On  the  9th  the  command  reached  White  River,  near 
Clarendon,  The  regiment  participated  in  almost  continuous 
operations.  They  had  a  fight  with  the  enemy  at  Montevallo, 
Mo. ;  another  at  Lot's  Peach  Fai-m ;  and  another  at  Big  Cliffs, 
At  this  latter  place  Judge  Dashiell,  of  Monroe  County,  then 
a  quartermaster  of  the  Second  Battalion  of  the  First  Iowa 
Cavalry,  was  dangerously  wounded  in  the  lungs, ^  Several 
companies  of  the  regiment  next  participated  in  a'skirmish 
at  Clear  Creek,  St.  Clair  County,  Mo. 

In  the  autumn  of  '62  Colonel  Warren  was  promoted  to 
the  rank  of  brigadier-general,  and  the  command  of  the  regi- 
ment fell  on  Captain  Jas.  O.  Gower. 

On  September  20,  1862,  the  regiment  took  up  a  line  of 
march  for  Springfield,  the  city  having  been  threatened  by 
the  enemy.     It  arrived  on  the  27th. 

In  October  the  regiment,  with  brigade  and  division, 
marched  southward  to  join  Blunt  and  Brown  in  a  contem- 
plated attack  on  the  enemy  of  1.3,000  under  Cooper,  near 
Newtonia.     The  enemy  retreated  on  their  arrival. 

On  the  16th  of  November  the  regiment  was  transferred 
to  General  Herron's  division. 

It  is  impossible  to  follow  minutely  the  operations  of  the 
regiment  while  under  General  Herron,  as  space  is  limited, 
but  we  find  that  they  were  a  fire-brand  to  the  guerrilla  hordes 
of  Missouri,  and  usually  fought  greatly  superior  numbers, 
and  nearly  always  got  the  better  of  them. 

On  August  18,  1863,  the  regiment,  with  the  brigade  and 
division,  crossed  the  White  River,  and  on  the  25th  it  was 
skirmishing  with  Marmaduke's  cavalry,  driving  it  to  its 
stronghold  at  Bayou  Metoe. 

The  charge  at  ]>ayou  Metoe  was  led  by  Colonel  Dan. 
Anderson,  commanding  the  First  Iowa  Cavalry.  It  was 
made  to  save  the  only  bridge  across  the  stream,  and  the  regi- 
ment was  galled  terribly  by  the  rebel  batteries  and  infantry 


HISTORY  OF  MO^UiOE  COUNTY,  IOWA.  S9 

on  oithei-  side  of  the  stream.  The  eneinv,  Hiuliiijj;  they  eould 
not  liohl  Ihe  bridfje.  set  tire  to  it  and  it  hnrned.  Tn  this  de 
terniined  charjie  Colonel  Anderson  had  his  horse  shot  from 
under  him,  and  the  reitiment  lost  s('\('ral  killcMl  and  ."U". 
\\  onnded. 

The  reuiment  i»r<»ved  of  eltiiient  service  to  Steele  in  the 
eaptnre  of  Little  Kock. 

During  the  campaiirn  Lieutenant  Sam'l  T.  Craig  was  de 
laehed  on  statl'  duty  with  (lenei-al  Davidson. 

Following  is  a  rejtort  of  his.  eoncerning  movements  in 
the  vicinity  of  Helena: 

"Devall's  Bin  11".  August  2i\,  1S«;:',. 
"nr'ujadU'r-aoicral  J.  W.  Daridson: 

"Dear  Sir, — In  compliance  with  your  special  order,  I 
took  charge  of  the  steamboat  Profiress  at  Clarendon,  Arkan- 
sas, and  proceeded  down  White  River  and  theuee  up  the 
Mississi]>pi,  arriving  at  Helena,  Arkansas,  at  midnight  on 
the  17th  inst. 

"I  delivered  your  dispatch  to  the  Adjutant -General  at 
l)ost,  to  be  forwarded  to  General  Steele  in  the  morning,  he 
having  moved  his  forces  for  Clarendon.  Arkansas,  the 
15th  inst. 

"We  took  coal  and  proceeded  to  Memphis,  Tenn.,  arriv- 
ing there  on  the  18th  inst,  at  ten  o'clock,  and  delivered  your 
letter  and  presented  requisitions  for  ammunition  to  Lieuten- 
ant-Colonel Uenmore,  assistant  adjutant-general  Sixteenth 
Army  Corps,  District  of  Memphis;  the  steamer  Fro(/res,s 
being  much  damaged,  caused  by  its  running  into  the  river 
banks  and  breaking  its  w  heel. 

•'The  stream,  AVhite  Kiver,  is  so  crooked  and  narrow,  and 
the  captain  and  i)ilot  either  had  determined  to  sink  the  boat 
or  were  so  frightened  that  they  caused  the  boat  to  run  at 
such  a  rate  of  speed  that  she  could  not  make  the  bends  of  the 
river  at  many  places  without  striking  the  bow  and  then 
whirling  round;  and  being  a  stern-wheel  boat,  she  was  much 
damage<l.  ('ai»tain  Swe^'t  i-equired  to  the  I'Oth  instant  to  re- 
pair her. 

"Having  ascertain<'d  from    the    Ordnance    Department 
at  Helena  and  Memphis  that  Lieutenant  Hubbard  di<l  not 
procure  ammunition  for  the  batteries  on  account  of  the  in 
formalities  in  the  requisition,  I  reporteil  to  General   Hurl 
bert  and  informed  him  of  the  necessity  of  your  getting  the 
ammunition,  and  he  ordered  the  Oidnanee  Department   at 


90  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

Memphis  to  issue  ammimitiQn  upon  my  requisition  for  bat- 
teries and  small  arms  required  by  the  division, 

"The  steamer  being  repaired  and  landed,  we  proceeded 
down  the  Mississippi  at  3  o'clock  p.  m.,  on  the  20th  inst., 
arrived  at  Helena  on  the  21st.,  at  6  o'clock  a,  m.  Quarter- 
master Noble,  of  the  post,  took  charge  of  the  steamer  and 
loaded  her  with  convalescent  soldiers  of  the  Twenty-seventh 
\Visconsin  Infantry  Volunteers  and  commissary  stores. 

"We  proceeded  from  Helena  on  the  22d  inst.  at  6  o'clock 
a.  m.,  arrived  at  the  mouth  of  White  River  at  3  o'clock  p.  m., 
and  were  ordered  by  the  Admiral  in  charge  of  the  gun-boats 
and  convoys  to  assist  the  steamer  Sallie  List  in  towing  two 
barges  of  hay  up  White  Rivei',  but  refused  to  furnish  us  with 
a  convoy. 

"We  proceeded  up  White  River,  and  our  cargoes  being 
wide,  and  the  river  narrow,  and  the  night  very  dark,  we  at- 
tempted to  anchor,  but  our  anchors  being  insufficient  to  hold 
our  cargoes  (the  hay  barges  being  placed  between  the 
steamers,  the  front  barge  extending  about  half  its  length  in 
front),  with  some  difficulty  we  steamed  up  the  river  until  we 
arrived  at  a  point  where  the  banks  of  the  stream  were  low 
and  marsh}'.  We  tied  up  at  the  cut-off  about  tw^o  miles  be- 
low St.  Charles  Landing  on  the  night  of  the  23d  instant,  and 
by  placing  lumber  on  the  shore,  we  were  able  to  put  out  a 
picket  guard;  but  were  not  molested  during  the  night,  for 
it  was  impossible  for  our  enemy  to  approach  us  on  account 
of  the  marshy  ground. 

"At  daylight  we  proceeded,  and  while  passing  Crock- 
ett's Landing,  about  7  o'clock  a.  m.,  the  enemy  fired  into  our 
boats  several  volleys  with  small  arms  from  the  north  bank  of 
the  river,,  and  wounded  six  men  on  the  steamer  Progress. 

"The  lieutenants  in  command  of  the  convalescent 
soldiers  not  showing  any  disposition  to  command,  notwith- 
standing they  outranked  me,  I  took  command,  and,  with  the 
assistance  of  my  ordnance  sergeant,  rallied  the  convales- 
cent, and  forming  protection  for  the  men,  b}'  placing  boxes 
of  hard-tack  around  the  outer  railing  of  the  boat,  and  placing 
their  knapsacks  on  the  same,  they  were  caused  to  kneel  down 
and  fire  upon  the  enemy  without  waiting  further  orders. 
There  being  two  surgeons  on  the  Sallie  List,  the  wounded 
were  taken  below,  and  are  doing  well  and  properly  cared  for. 

"Having  one  section  of  the  Fifth  Ohio  Battery  on  board 
I  placed  the  gun  on  front  of  the  barge  of  hay,  which  extended 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA.  91 

iu  front  of  the  boats  about  half  its  leiii^th,  and  the  sergeant 
in  charge  of  the  gun  was  able  to  shell  the  timber  in  which 
the  enemy  were  concealed.  This  had  the  desired  effect  and 
dispersed  them. 

"I  had  placed  guards  over  the  pilots,  from  the  fact  that 
the  one  piloting  the  Progress  had  threatened  to  turn  our 
cargo  over  to  the  enemy  before  we  returned.  But  it  so  hap- 
pened that  when  we  were  fired  upon.  Captain  Sweet  was  at 
the  wheel  and  stood  unflinchingly  at  his  post,  notwithstand- 
ing that  his  pilot-house  was  pierced  by  the  enemy's  bullets, 
showing  the  dangerous  position  he  occupied. 

"The  pilot-house  of  the  steamer  Sallie  List  was  well  pro- 
tected with  sheet-iron,  but  the  ])ilot  deserted  his  post,  and 
the  mate  of  the  same  had  suffered  or  allowed  the  boat  to  be 
cut  partially  loose  from  our  own,  so  that  she  was  dragging 
us  ashore — evidently  planned  so  that  the  enemy  could  board 
our  boats.  But  with  the  assistance  of  my  ordnance  sergeant, 
w  ith  revolvers  in  hand,  we  went  on  board  of  her  and 
demanded  that  the  mate  malve  her  fast  to  our  boat,  which 
he  did  immediately,  and,  with  the  untiring  energy  and 
efficiency  of  Captain  Sweet,  we  steamed  up  the  river;  and, 
under  my  directions,  the  sergeant  in  charge  of  the  piece  of 
artillery  shelled  the  banks  of  the  river  on  the  south  all  the 
way  up  to  Clarendon  wherever  the  banks  were  sufficiently 
high  for  the  enemy  to  approach  the  river.  A  squad  of  col- 
ored people  at  one  place  approached  and  made  signs  for  us 
to  land,  but  I  did  not  think  it  prudent. 

''Our  loss  was  six  wounded — three  severely  and  three 
slightly;  one  was  Brown,  clerk  of  the  sutler  of  Merrill's 
Horse;  the  other  five  were  of  the  Twenty-seventh  Wisconsin 
Infantry.  We  arrived  at  Clarendon,  Ark.,  on  the  24th  inst., 
and  were  ordered  by  the  conmiander  of  the  post  to  wait  for 
convoy. 

"We  proceeded  from  Clarendon  with  convoy  on  the  25th, 
and  arrived  at  this  place  at  7  o'clock  p.  m.  on  the  2r)th.  and  at 
once  commenced  loading  on  wagon-tr.ain  all  the  ordnance, 
for  the  purpose  of  transporting  the  same  to  your  command 
at  Brownsville,  Ark. 

"Hoping  that  the  above  and  foregoing  report  will  be 
sufficient  for  my  seeming  delay.  I  have  the  honor  to  be. 
General,  Your  obedient  servant, 

(Signed)     "l^am'l  T.  Craig, 
"2d  Lt.  Co.  n,  1st  Iowa  Cav.  Div., 
"Department  of  the  Missouri." 


92  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

On  October  1,  1863,  Colonel  Anderson,  by  order  of  Gen- 
eral Davidson,  was  placed  in  command  of  the  Second  Cav- 
ah'}^  Brigade,  Major  Caldwell  being  in  command  of  the  regi- 
ment, and  on  the  IStli  of  the  same  month  it  went  into  camp 
for  the  winter  a  couple  of  miles  further  down  the  river. 

In  18G4  the  First  Cavalry  waived  its  right  to  a  furlough, 
and  joined  with  General  Steele  in  the  Camden  expedition, 
which  was  really'  to  cooperate  with  Banks  in  the  Red  River 
expedition.  A  part  of  the  regiment,  having  lost  their  horses, 
marched  as  a  dismounted  battalion  of  infantry.  Captain  A. 
U.  McCormack,  of  Monroe  County,  commanding  one  of  the 
companies. 

On  the  2.3d,  Colonel  Daniel  Anderson  having  been  placed 
in  command  of  the  post  at  Little  Rock  by  order  of  General 
Steele,  the  command,  numbering  about  7,000,  went  on  a 
skirmishing  expedition  to  the  south  of  Little  Rock.  They 
encountered  the  enemy  almost  daily.  Their  first  encounter 
was  at  Benton;  then,  on  March  9th,  at  Arkadelphia:  April 
2d,  at  Spoon ville;  April  3d,  near  the  town  of  Antoine;  the 
3d  and  4th,  at  Elkins'  Ford;  the  10th  and  12th,  at  Prairie  de 
Anne;  the  14th,  at  White  Oak  Creek;  the  15th,  at  Camden 
Cross-roads  and  the  capture  of  Camden;  the  25th,  at  Mono 
Creek;  the  30th,  at  Jenkins'  Ferry. 

After  the  Camden  campaign,  the  veterans  crossed  the 
Arkansas  River  on  their  homeward  march  for  a  furlough, 
arriving  at  St.  Louis  on  May  9, 1864.  From  St.  Louis  the  vet- 
erans came  on  to  Burlington  on  the  16th,  and  departed  for 
their  homes  on  a  furlough. 

On  the  23d  their  furlough  expired,  and  thej^  returned  to 
St.  Louis  on  the  25th.  At  this  time  Coloned  Anderson  re- 
signed, and  Major  Wm.  Thompson  was  promoted  colonel  of 
the  regiment. 

Soon  after  their  arrival,  the  veterans  were  mounted  on 
horses  and  ordered  to  northern  Missouri,  where  they  per- 
formed considerable  scout  and  skirmish  duty  until  October, 
when  they  were  ordered  to  JelTerson  City  to  oppose  the  en- 
trance of  Price  into  Missouri. 

For  a  time  the  regiment  encountered  frequent  collisions 
with  guerrillas  and  border  ruffian  hordes,  and  in  a  lai'ge 
measure  checked  the  operations  of  these  lawless  bands. 

On  September  27th  Bill  Anderson  captured  Centralia 
and  also  the  express  train  from  St.  Louis.  After  robbing  the 
express,    baggage,  and    ])assengers  of  .f.')0,000,  he    found  a 


nif^TORY  OF  }rO\ROE  COrXTY,  IOWA.  03 

squad  of  the  First  Cavalry  boys  on  the  train.  TImto  were 
'2'A  of  thoni,  and  they  were  scjiaialcd  from  the  passtiificrs. 
ai  ranp;ed  in  a  line,  and  sliot. 

On  the  27tli  Major  -Fohnson.  (;)niniandin<;  detachiHcnts 
(if  Missouri  Militia,  in  all  147  men.  f(»ll<)\ved  the  ti-ail  of  the 
jjueiiillas  to  Tentralia  .and  attacked  the  combined  forces  of 
Bill  Anderson  and  those  of  the  Todds,  I'aols,  and  Tlirailkill. 

Johnson  did  not  know  their  exact  numbers,  and  rashly 
attacked  them  against  tlie  advice  of  loyal  citizens  of  the 
town.  Johnson  and  his  men  were  nearly  all  killed,  except 
Lieutenants  Jaynes.  (lill.  and  Moore,  and  IMI  of  the  men.  The 
jjuerrillas  lost  but  3,  and  10  wounded.  Johnson  was  scalped 
find  many  of  his  men  were  mutilated  in  various  ways.  Frank 
James,  the  noted  outlaw,  was  one  of  Anderson's  men. 

When  General  Price,  at  the  head  of  25.000  rebels,  com- 
j)Osed  of  tjuerrillas  and  soldiers  of  the  rebel  army,  occupiinl 
a  i)ositiou  in  the  vicinity  of  Jefferson  City,  in  his  memorable 
raid  into  Missouri,  the  First  Iowa  Cavalry  and  the  Thirty- 
ninth  Missouri  Infantry  were  ordered  to  tliat  jilace  to  combat 
his  forces.  They  participated  in  almost  daily  bruslies  with 
the  enemy  on  their  march  to  unite  with  the  other  Federal 
forces.  With  Rosecrans'  and  Pleasantson's  forces,  the  re<j:i- 
ment  harassed  Price's  army  from  place  to  i)lace  until  about 
the  2.")th  of  the  month,  when  it  was  totally  defeated  and  de- 
moralized. ;^farmaduke.  Crawford,  Cabill,  and  other  noted 
rebel  leaders  were  cai»tured. 

After  the  defeat  of  IMice's  army,  the  I'nion  forces  rc^- 
traced  their  course  into  ]Missouri,  and  part  of  the  rep;iment 
returned  to  Jeffei'son  City  and  participated  in  the  election  of 
Lincoln;  a  ]iart  of  the  rejrinient  accomjianied  Kosecrans,  as 
train-^uard.  to  St.  Louis;  ami  the  remainder  went  to  JetTer- 
son  City,  l)ut  was  also  transferred  to  St.  Louis  by  slc^amer  on 
the  intli  and  KJth  of  Vovembcr. 

The  ren^iment  remained  in  St.  Louis  until  the  KJih  of 
December,  when  it  ajiain  went  out  for  activi'  service.  It  re- 
visited the  rejjion  of  the  White  and  St.  Francis  rivers,  the 
scene  of  its  first  contlicts.  and  fiom  thence  went  to  Little 
Kock. 

On  the  1  1th  of. January.  lS(;.~t,  .Major  .leuks.  with  a  force 
consistinfr  partly  of  a  detachment  of  the  First  Cavalry,  was 
ordered  to  attack  Cieiieral  Cooper  with  a  force  of  l.(>00  men 
up  the  Arkansas  Kiver.  They  went  by  lioats.  and  killed  and 
wounded  90  of  tlie  cnenn. 


94  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

On  the  22d  an  expedition  under  General  Carr,  consist- 
ing of  the  First  Iowa,  First  and  Third  Missouri,  and  Tenth 
Illinois  Cavalry,  Twenty-ninth  Iowa  Infantry,  and  the 
Twenty-fifth  Ohio  Battery,  was  sent  below  Camden  to  at- 
tack the  rebel  general  Green.  Colonel  Wm.  Thompson  com- 
manded the  Second  Cavalry  Brigade,  and  Major  John 
McDermott  commanded  the  regiment;  Lieutenant  Sam'l  T. 
Craig,  of  the  First  Cavalry,  also  acted  as  brigade  quarter- 
master. 

On  their  march  they  passed  Mark's  Mills,  and  passed 
through  the  battle-field  where  General  (now  Governor) 
Drake,  with  the  Thirty-sixth  Iowa  Infantry,  had  a  desperate 
encounter  with  a  superior  force,  and  was  defeated  on  account 
of  the  overwhelming  number  of  the  enem3^  The  bodies  of 
the  dead  soldiers  had  been  placed  in  shallow  graves,  and  the 
hogs  and  other  animals  had  dug  many  of  them  from  their 
resting-places,  exposing  their  skulls  and  bones  to  view. 

After  engaging  in  several  skirmishes  with  the  enemy, 
the  regiment,  on  February  1,  1SG5,  was  detached  from  the 
brigade  and  ordered  to  Memphis. 

While  stationed  at  Memphis  the  following  named  officers 
of  the  regiment  were  assigned  to  special  duty:  Captain  R. 
M.  Reynolds,  acting  assistant  inspector-general ;  Lieutenant 
Sam'l  T.  Craig,  acting  assistant  adjutant-general. 

The  next  move  was  an  expedition  into  Mississippi,  in 
which  the  command  had  frequent  skirmishes  with  the 
enemy,  but  sustained  no  serious  loss. 

The  regiment  returned  to  Memphis  on  March  11th,  and 
then,  in  company  with  other  regiments,  went  on  a  tour  into 
Tennessee. 

At  about  this  time  Richmond  had  fallen,  and  the  First 
Iowa  Cavalry,  the  Fifth  and  Twelfth  Illinois,  Second  Wis- 
consin, and  Seventh  Indiana  Cavalry  regiments  were  ordered 
to  Texas  on  June  15th.  They  were  transferred  by  boat,  and 
arrived  at  Natchez  on  the  25th. 

At  Alexandria,  General  Custer  took  command  of  the 
troops,  and  here  began  a  series  of  abuses  and  ill  treatment 
on  the  part  of  Custer,  towards  the  regiment,  which  is  a  last- 
ing blemish  to  the  character  of  the  long-haired  hero,  who  in 
after  years  met  a  terrible  fate  in  the  Little  Big-horn 
massacre. 

The  First  Iowa  had  been  recommended  to  him  as  the 
next  best  in  efficiency  of  any  regiment  in  the  United  States 


HISTORY  OF  MOyROE  rOFNTY.   IOWA.  05 

service,  the  first  being  one  in  the  rrjiulnr  Tnited  States 
service. 

Yet,  notwithstaudinfi  llie  special  recommendation  of 
(lenerals  Herrou.  Schoiield,  lihint,  Kosecrans,  Davidson. 
Steele,  Carr,  and  others,  besides  that  of  the  Military 
llureau  at  Washinfjton,  General  (duster  seems,  for  some 
stranjie  reason,  to  havt^  visiled  on  this  rey,iment  all  th<' 
indipiitie«  and  abuses  of  which  the  most  insolent  martinet 
oould  cooiceive.  About  this  time  Custer  issued  an  order 
against  foraging,  imposing  severe  penalties  against  any 
caught  confiscating  cattle  belonging  to  the  inhabitants  of 
the  country.  Private  Clure,  of  the  First  Iowa,  was  accused 
of  knowing  who  killed  two  beeves  that  bad  been  killed 
by  a  foraging  party  and  l)rought  in  from  the  counti'v\  He 
did  not  know  who  killed  them,  yet  his  head  was  shaved  and 
he  was  given  twenty-five  lashes  on  suspicion  that  he  did 
know.  The  indignation  of  the  regiment  was  so  great  that 
Surgeon  Clias.  H.  Lothrop,  of  the  regiment,  states,  in  his 
history  of  the  regiment,  that  good  Colonel  McQueen,  a  strict 
Presbyterian,  swore  like  a  trooper,  threatening  that  "if 
Custer  again  attempts  to  lay  violent  hands  on  a  First  Iowa 
soldier,  I  will  here  say  his  hide  will  not  hold  corn,  by  God!" 

Governor  Stone  laid  the  case  before  the  Iowa  Legis- 
lature, and  a  rousing  resolution  was  passed,  denouncing 
the  outrage  on  the  part  of  Custer.  The  matter  finally  went 
to  Major-General  Sheridan,  who  ordered  the  insult  rectified. 
Custer,  in  vindication  of  the  act,  accused  the  entire  com- 
mand of  infamy  and  insubordination. 

The  war  was  now  over,  and  while  tlie  command  re- 
mained at  Hempstead,  the  time  was  mostly  taken  up  in 
liorse-racing.  Custer  was  fond  of  the  sport,  and  had  a 
horse  which  he  called  Jack  Rucker,  on  which  he  and  his 
friends  l>et  a  gr^^at  deal  of  money;  but  one  day  the  boys 
brought  into  camp  a  strange  nag,  which  outran  that  of  the 
general,  and  the  result  was  that  he  was  out  considerable 
money. 

On  Xovember  10th  General  Custer  sent  Assistant 
Quartermaster  Sani'l  T.  Craig  to  Galveston  to  ]>rocure  sup 
jdie^  for  the  trooj)S. 

From  Hempstead  the  command  was  transferred  to 
Austin,  where  the  troops  remaineil  until  January  24,  1800, 
when,  by  a  general  order,  the  First  Iowa.  Third  Michigiiu. 
and  Seventh  Indiana  regiments  were  mustered  out  of  the 
service. 


96  HTf?TORY  OF  MOXROE  COUNTY.  IOWA. 

All  the  troops  entertained  a  wholesome  hatred  towards 
Custer.  His  acts  of  insolence  were  doubtless  rendered 
more  unbearable  from  the  fact  that  his  command  felt  that 
the  war  was  over,  a.nd  that  there  was  no  further  necessity 
for  their  presence  in  Texas.  Custer  complained  that  he 
could  not  induce  them  to  wear  pants,  but  Lieutenant-Colonel 
A.  G.  McQueen,  of  the  First  Iowa,  says  that  in  many  in- 
stances they  had  none  to  wear;  some  had  to  go  shirtless, 
and  others  barefooted. 

Previous  to  the  mustering  out  of  the  regiments,  General 
Custer  and  his  staff  had  been  mustered  out  of  the  service  by 
order  of  the  War  Department,  and  Brigadier-General  S.  D. 
Sturgis  assumed  command,  and  Colonel  and  Brevet  Briga- 
dier-General Wm.  Thompson  was  placed  in  command  of 
the  First  Brigade. 

History  of  the  Sixth  Iowa  Infantry. 

In  July,  1861,  the  Sixth  Iowa  was  mustered  into  the 
United  States  service  at  Burlington,  with  John  A.  McDowell 
as  colonel;  ]\[arcoe  Cummings,  of  Muscatine,  lieutenant- 
colonel;  John  M.  Corse,  of  Burlington,  major. 

Company  A,  Captain  H.  W.  Gray,  was  enrolled  from 
Linn  County;  Company  B,  Captain  Daniel  Iseminger,  was 
enrolled  from  Lucas  and  Clarke  counties;  Company  C, 
Captain  D.  M.  Stump,  was  enrolled  from  Hardin  County; 
Company  D,  Captain  M.  M.  \^'^alden,  was  enrolled  from 
Appanoose  County;  Company  E,  Captain  Henry  Saunders, 
was  enrolled  from  Monroe  County;  Company  F,  Captain  S. 
P.  Glenn,  was  enrolled  from  Clarke  County;  Company  G, 
Captain  John  Williams,  was  enrolled  from  Jolmson  County; 
Company  H,  Captain  W.  Gallaud,  was  enrolled  from  Lee 
County;  Company  I,  Captain  F.  Brydolf,  was  enrolled  from 
Des  Moines  County;  Company  K,  Captain  W.  Denison,  was 
esurolled  from  Henry  County. 

To  most  of  the  boys  of  the  Sixth,  that  Sunday  morning 
of  April  7,  1862,  when  the  rebels  assaulted  General  Grant's 
center  at  Shiloh,  may  now  seem  like  a  dream.  It  was  their 
first  real  taste  of  w^ar.  Many  of  the  boys  of  the  regiment 
had  never  seen  a  battle,  nor  heard  the  roar  of  artillery  until 
the  preceding  day.  Tlie  regiment  had  been  mustered  into 
the  service  at  Burlington,  and  on  August  3d  had  been 
ordered  to  Keokuk,  and  after  participating  in  a  movement 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  fOWA.  07 

to  repel  a  tlu'eajtened  attack  of  rebels  on  Athens,  Mo.,  on 
August  5th,  the  regiment  was  hurried  oil"  to  St.  Louis, 
August  9,  ISGl,  for  the  seat  of  conflict 

On  the  10th  of  September,  18G1,  the  regiment  was 
ordered  to  Jefferson  City,  and  on  the  Tdi  of  October  it  was 
merged  into  Frc^mont's  army  at  Tipton,  Mo.,  where  the  army 
of  30,000  was  reviewed  by  the  Secretary  of  War  and 
Adjutant-General  Thomas,  on  the  13th  of  the  same  month. 

The  Sixth  Iowa  was  among  the  troops  that  made  a 
forced  march  to  Springfield,  a  distance  of  seventy-five  miles, 
in  two  days,  on  short  rations.  When  they  arrived  November 
3d,  Fremont  was  relieved  by  Hunter,  and  on  the  Otli  tlie 
regiment  was  ordered  back. 

It  remained  at  Sedalia  until  December  9th,  when  it 
marched  toLamine  Bridge;  and  on  January  22,  1862,  it  was 
stationed  at  Tipton  to  perform  guard  duty.  Colonel  ^Ic- 
Dowell,  who  was  mustered  into  the  service  as  colonel  of  this 
regiment,  was  at  tJiis  time  absent  on  leave,  and  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  Curamings  took  command  of  the  regiment.  Major 
Corse  wa.s  also  absent,  being  detached  on  the  sttaff  of 
<Jenei-al  Pope  as  adjutant-general. 

The  Sixth  was  ordered  to  Pittsburg  Landing  on  March 
9th.  On  April  6th  the  regiment  was  assigned  a  position 
near  Owl  Creek  in  the  vicinity  of  Shiloh  Church. 

For  a  detailed  statement  of  the  part  taken  by  the  Sixth 
Infantry  we  are  indebted  to  IT.  Hickenlooper.  a  member  of 
C<im])any  E  of  the  regiment,  who  kindly  supplies  us  with  the 
following: 

''On  the  morning  of  April  6,  1862,  the  First  Bngade 
of  the  Fifth  Division  of  (rrant's  army  was  encamped  with 
its  right  resting  on  Owl  Creek,  and  its  left  out  towards 
Shiloh  Church.  Colonel  McDowell,  of  the  Sixth  Iowa. 
commanded  the  brigade,  and  Lieutenant  Colonel  Cummiuijs 
(vommande<l  the  Sixth  Towa  Kegiment;  this  regiment  was  the 
extreme  right  regiment  of  the  bri<fade  and  of  th«'  whole  of 
Ci'ant's  army  at  that  ]dace.  The  rebel  column  <1id  n<)t 
attack  this  brigade  in  its  ])Osition,  but  moved  to  the  left 
and  made  their  attack  on  the  line  on  the  left  of  this  brigade. 

"About  this  time  Colonel  ^fcDowell  discovered,  or 
thought  he  discoverer!,  that  Cummings  was  intoxicated,  and 
ordered  him  under  arrest:  and  the  command  of  the  regiment 
then  devolved  upon  Iseminjjer,  of  Company  l1,  he  being  the 
ranking  captain.       Soon  the  regiment,   with  the  brigade. 


98  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

was  ordered  to  the  left,  and  the  regiment  took  a  position 
about  a  half-mile  to  the  left,  or  east  of  the  first  position, 
and  there  fought  a  short  time,  and  several  were  killed  and 
wounded  at  this  place, 

"Meantime  the  rebels  had  driven  our  line  back  on  the 
left,  or  east  of  us,  and  the  brigade  was  marched  to  the  rear 
and  left  about  a  mile,  and  joined  onto  McClernand's  right. 
Here  the  brigade  charged  the  rebel  line  and  drove  it  back 
about  a  quarter  of  a  mile,  and  held  this  position  about  three 
hours,  during  the  most  desperate  fighting  of  that  whole  day. 

"Here  Captain  Tseminger  was  killed,  and  the  oom- 
mand  of  the  regiment  by  rank  should  have  devolved  on 
Captain  Walden,  but  Colonel  McDowell  ordered  Captain 
Williams,  of  Company  G,  to  take  command  of  the  regiment. 
He,  too,  was  soon  badly  wounded  and  unable  to  command, 
and  Captain  Walden,  being  offended,  would  not  assume  com- 
•mand,  and  for  a  long  period  during  the  battle  the  regiment 
had  no  commander. 

"Lieutenant-Colonel  Cummings,  who  was  under  arrest, 
got  a  gun  and  fell  into  the  ranks  of  Company  E,  Captain 
Saunders'  company,  and  fought  'like  a  Turk.' 

"The  regiment  held  this  position  until  about  8  o'clock 
p.  m.,  and  the  rebels  were  fighting  in  front,  to'  the  right,  and 
to  the  right  rear;  when  General  Sherman  came  galloping 
up  to  our  rear  and  told  us,  'For  God's  sake,  get  out  of  here, 
or  you  will  all  be  captured!'  The  regiment,  as  well  as  all 
other  regiments  in  that  line,  moved  to  the  rear  with  great 
alacrity,  without  any  regard  for  military  tactics — in  fact, 
we  'skedaddled'  for  about  a  mile,  when  the  regiment  rallied 
and  re-formed  under  command  of  Captain  Saunders,  who 
was  next  in  rank  to  Captain  Walden.  The  whole  line  was 
slowly  moved  back  towards  the  Tennessee  River.  Regi- 
ments, brigades,  and  divisions  were  badly  mixed  up. 

"The  Sixth  Iowa  took  a  position  in  the  line  about  three 
regiments  to  the  left  of  a  battery  of  heavy  guns — four  82- 
pound  siege-guns  and  two  32-pound  howitzers.  There  was 
no  support  for  the  battery.  Meantime  Captain  Walden  had 
assumed  command  of  the  regiment,  and  presently  we  saw 
old  Colonel  Webster,  chief  of  artillery,  riding  down  the 
line  on  a  white  horse  and  making  an  effort  to  get  a  regiment 
to  support  the  battery.  The  first  two  regiments  nearest  the 
battery  refused  to  move,  and  he  came  on  down  the  line 
to  the  Sixth  Iowa  and  asked  Captain  Walden  to  move  his 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA.  99 

reg'inu'nt  up  to  the  batten',  with  which  request  tlie  captain 
complied,  and  the  regiment  was  placed  in  position  in  the 
rear  of  the  battery,  and  just  in  time  to  meet  a  charge  of 
the  rebels.  Never  was  a  battery  worked  better  than  that 
one  until  the  rebel  line  was  almost  to  the  guns;  when  the 
gunners  shouldered  their  swabs  and  fell  back  to  the  rear. 

**It  was  now  after  sundown,  and  the  artillery  kept  up 
a  continuous  fire,  and  the  gun-boats,  Tyler  and  Lexington, 
in  the  river,  about  half  a  mile  from  the  mouth  of  the  ravine 
over  which  tiie  rebels  had  to  cros'S,  kept  up  a  furious  cross- 
tire.  At  length,  when  it  was  almost  dark,  too  dark  to  see 
farther  than  a  few  rods  in  our  front,  the  rebel  masses  came 
on  again,  and  with  a  rush,  almost  to  the  guns,  when  again 
the  regiment  charged  past  the  guns  and  met  them  with 
another  voile}',  and  then  continued  to  fire  as  fast  as  tlie 
men  could  load  and  shoot,  until  there  was  nothing  in  our 
front  to  be  seen  or  heard,  except  the  groans  and  cries  of 
the  wounded  rebels. 

''The  regiment  again  retired  to  the  rear  of  tlie  battery 
aiul  remained  there  the  balance  of  the  niglit,  but  the 
batteries  all  along  thr  line  and  the  gun-boats'  in  the  river 
kept  up  an  occasional  tiring  all  night. 

''Some  time  after  the  musketry  tire  had  all  ceased  along 
the  line,  an  officer  came  down  the  line  and  told  us  General 
Buell  had  arrived  on  the  op])osite  side  of  the  river.  Soon 
General  Buell  himself  and  statf  came  riding  along  in  rear 
of  our  line.  Three  cheers  were  proposed  for  him  and  the 
stars  and  strij)es,  whicli  were  given  with  all  the  vim  left  in 
our  throjits,  but  it  was  rather  sorrowful  clieering. 

"Soon  Nelson's  division  cxime  marching  past  our  front, 
regiment  after  regiment,  with  their  bands  playing,  and 
appearing  fresh  and  vigorous,  and  all  the  night  througli 
regiments  and  batteries  kept  passing  along,  taking  positions 
in  our  front.  We  remained  at  the  battery  that  we  liad 
supported.  Tn  the  fore  part  of  the  night  there  came  up  a 
storm  of  great  fury,  which  continued  all  night. 

"Before  daylight  Buell's  men  and  Lew  Wallace's  men, 
who  had  come  up  in  the  night,  commenced  to  move  out  in 
front;  at  about  daylight,  and  about  a  mile  in  front  of  our 
line,  the  fighting  commenced,  and  the  firing  was  by  volleys 
and  ran  all  along  the  line  for  two  or  three  miles  away  to 
the  southea.st.  south,  and  southwest,  and  continued  without 
intermission  for  several  hours. 


100  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

"General  Sherman  ordered  the  Sixth  to  remain  in  its 
position;  at  the  battery  umtil  nearly  noon,  when  he  came 
along  and  ordered  it  to  follow  General  Oglesby,  but  soon 
Colonel  Garfield  came  and  took  command,  and  Oglesby  left 
for  some  other  part  of  the  field.  Soon  the  regiment  passed 
the  line  of  battle.  The  rebels  had  fallen  back.  The  regi- 
ment passed  the  church  and  on,  into  a  field  growing  in 
bushes  and  small  timber,  when  suddenly  it  ran  into  a  rebel 
battery  concealed  in  the  bushes.  The  battery  shelled  the 
regiment  briskly  for  a  short  time,  when  it  limbered  up  and 
fled  to  the  rear. 

"Thus  ended  the  part  taken  by  the  Sixth  Iowa  Infantry 
at  the  battle  of  Shiloh. 

"Lieutenant-Colonel  Cummings  was  court-martialed 
and  dismissed  from  the  regiment,  but  he  afterwards  went 
to  New  York,  where  he  became  colonel  of  a  New  York 
regiment,  and  greatly  distinguished  himself  iin  some  of  the 
battles  about  Richmond." 

After  the  siege  of  Corinth  the  Sixth  Iowa  went  west 
along  the  line  of  the  Memphis  and  Charleston  Railroad, 
repairing  track  and  bridges  which  the  rebels  had  destroyed 
after  having  evacuated  Corinth.  On  or  about  July  4,  1863, 
the  regiment  moved  against  Price  at  Holly  Springs,  and 
drove  the  rebels  from  their  position. 

Then,  on  the  17th  of  July,  they  arrived  at  Memphis 
and  remained  for  three  months  doing  provost  guard  duty. 
Then  in  October  the  division,  including  the  Sixth  Iowa, 
went  on  an  expedition  into  Mississippi  and  returned  in  a 
week,  to  find  that  a  battle  had  been  fought  at  Corinth. 

Then  shortly  after,  in  November,  Grant's  army  started 
for  Vicksburg  in  his  attack  on  the  rear.  The  Sixth  was 
included  in  General  J.  W.  Denver's  division  of  Sherman's 
corps  and  accompanied  Grant's  army.  On  the  march  to 
Vicksburg  Sherman  returned  with  a  portion  of  his  corps  to 
Memphis,  and  General  Denver's  division  continued  with 
Grant.  General  Van  Dorn  came  in  the  rear  and  destroyed 
the  entire  army  supplies  at  Holly  Springs ;  forcing  the  Union 
army  back  to  the  Memphis  and  Charleston  Railroad. 

The  Sixth  Infantry  in  January,  18G8.  was  stationed  ait 
A^arious  points  along  the  railroad,  mounted  on  mules,  which 
the  soldiers  had  captured.  During  its  stay  near  Grand 
Junction,  the  Sixth  made  frequent  raids  into  Mississippi. 

Early  in  June  the  regiment  arrived  in  the  vicinity  of 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA.  IQl 

Vicksbiii'g  and  was  placed  in  General  Park's  command  of 
the  IsMnth  Army  Corps,  doing  outpost  duty. 

On  the  surrender  of  Vicksburg,  July  14th,  the  regiment 
was  marched  back  to  Black  Kiver  to  drive  back  Johnson's 
anny,  and  on  the  Cth,  wliile  hemmed  in,  in  a  bend  of  the 
river,  had  a  severe  brush  with  thie  enemy,  but  succeeded:  in 
driving  it  back,  and  in  crossing  the  river. 

The  regiment  arrived  at  Jackson  on  the  10th,  and  from 
the  10th  to  10th  participated  in  almost  constant  skirmishes 
with  the  enemy.  On  the  10th  the  fighting  was  so  severe 
tliat  on  the  following  morning  tlie  rebels  had  entirely 
abajidoned  the  city,  after  having  burned  their  supplies. 

After  the  battle  of  Chickamanga,  the  regiment,  together 
>N  ith  the  entire  Fifteenth  Army  Corps,  was  loaded  in  boats 
and  taken  to  Memphis,  Tenn,,  and  then  set  out  on  a  400-mile 
march  through  Tennessee  to  Missionary  Ridge,  and  partici- 
pated in  tliat  battle.  After  the  battle,  the  regiment  was 
sent  up  to  Knoxville,  Tenn.,  to  relieve  Burnside,  and 
returning  a  short  time  later,  went  into  whiter  quarters  at 
Scottsborough,  Ala.,  and  on  April  1,  18G4,  started  home  on 
a  thirty-days  furlough. 

The  regiment  returned  to  the  front,  and  marched  with 
Sherman  to  Atlanta  and  look  part  in  all  the  engagements 
before  that  city.  The  corps  (the  Fifteenth)  was  under 
command  of  General  Logan. 

Mission  Ridge. 

The  Sixth  Iowa  Infantry  an-ived  in  the  vicinity  of 
Lookout  Mountain  three  or  four  days  in  advance  of  Sher- 
man's corps. 

The  regiment  and  brigade  was  ordered  up  Lookout 
Valley  as  a  diversion,  taking  a  position  on  the  mountain  in 
the  r<'ar  of  the  rebel  lines,  remaining  two  nights  and  a  day, 
making  a  big  noise  to  deceive  the  rebels  as  to  numbers. 

On  the  second  day  of  their  arrival  the  enemy  attacked 
the  regiment  in  f^rce,  when  it  retired  down  the  mountain. 
The  Sixth  then  pursued  its  march  down  the  valley,  marching 
all  night  and  arriving  at  Moccasin  Bend  in  the  morning. 
It  crossed  on  pontoon  bridges,  which  were  being  continually 
broken  by  rafts  floated  down  the  stream  by  the  rebels,  and 
then  took  a  position  opposite  the  mouth  of  the  Chickamauga 
River. 


102  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

In  the  meantime  the  battle  of  Lookout  Mountain  was 
in  progress  across  the  river.  About  midnight  of  November 
23d  the  army  recroisised  the  river  at  its  mouth,  and  were 
assigned  a  position  on  tlie  extreme  right  of  the  corps.  It 
then  moved  forward  to  Mission  Ridge,  and,  charging  up  the 
ridge,  deployed  as  skirmishers. 

On  the  25th  the  brigade  was  ordered,  with  picks, 
shovels,  and  guns,  to  advance  on  the  enemy.  This  was  the 
opening  of  the  engagement,  and,  after  repeated  charges, 
they  gave  up  the  hope  of  forcing  tlie  enemy  back.  The 
boys  would  charge  on  the  lines,  and,  being  hurled  back, 
would  retire  over  the  brow  of  a  hill  to  re-form.  They  re- 
mained here  all  night,  and  in  the  morning  found  that  the 
enemy  had  retired. 

After  the  fall  of  Atlanta,  the  regiment  went  on  the 
famous  march  to  the  sea;  was  at  Savannah  a  short  time, 
and  then,  after  a  long  and  memorable  campaign  through 
Georgia,  the  Carolinas,  and  Virginia,  rounded  up  at  the 
city  of  Washington,  at  the  close  of  the  war,  and  was  a 
conspicuous  regiment  in  that  grand  review  up  Pennsylvania 
Avenue. 

Lieutenant-Colonel  Cune,  of  Burlington,  was  the  last 
commander  of  the  regiment. 

The  regiment  took  a  prominent  part  in  the  battles  of 
Shiloh,  Resaca,  Mission  Ridge,  Dallas,  Big  Shanty,  Kenesaw 
Mountain,  Jackson,  Black  River  Bridge,  Jones'  Ford, 
Griswaldsville,  and  numerous  fights  of  less  note,  and  was 
mustered  out  of  the  service  at  Louisville,  Ky,,  July  21,  1865. 

History  of  the  Thirty-siwth  Iowa  Infantry. 

The  following  sketch  was  kindly  furnished  by  Hon, 
Josiah  T.  Young,  a  member  of  the  regiment : 

"This  regiment  was  organized  in  August,  1862,  from  the 
counties  of  Appanoose,  Monroe,  and  Wapello.  C.  W.  Kit- 
tredge,  of  Ottumwa,  was  its  first  colonel.  He  had  seen  ser- 
vice as  captain  in  one  of  the  companies  of  the  Seventh  Iowa 
Infantry,  and  was  wounded  in  the  battle  of  Belmont,  Mo. 
Being  somewhat  recovered,  Govenor  Kirkwood  commis- 
sioned him  for  the  Thirty-sixth.  F.  M.  Drake  was  made 
lieutenant-colonel,  E.  B.  Woodward  major,  A.  H.  Hamilton 
adjutant.  The  place  of  rendezvous  was  Camp  Lincoln,  on 
the  banks  of  the  Mississippi  River  above  Keokuk,     By  the 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 


103 


20th  of  September,  1802,  the  coiupanies  had  aj'i'ived  and 
were  assigned  qnarters  in  commodious  barracks.  The  Thir- 
tieth Iowa,  Colonel  Abbott,  was  then  preparing  for  active 


C.  \V.  KITTRKDGE,  Col.  Thirty-Sixth  Iowa  I^-^■A^•TR^ 

service  at  the  front.  Our  r(*«;inient  settled  down  at  once  to 
tlu'  duties  (tf  camp  life.  The  companies  had  received  some 
instructions  before  leavint^  home  in  infantry  drill,  Scott's 
Tactics  was  used,  and  'Hay  foot,  straw  foot  I"  could  be  heard 


104  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

on  the  drill-<»Tounds.  Major  J.  B.  Teas,  of  Albia,  had  seen 
service  in  the  Black  Hawk  War  and  was  instructor  for  Com- 
panies A  and  K  a  portion  of  the  time.  At  Camp  Lincoln  the 
company  officers  were  soon  able  to  instruct  their  commands 
in  all  the  drill  necessary  in  the  school  of  a  soldier. 

''The  first  guns  used  were  Belgian  or  Austrian  rifles 
with  sword  bayonets.  Our  blue  uniforms  came  ere  long, 
and  each  man  soon  began  to  feel  himself  a  soldier.  The  regi- 
ment was  regularly  mustered  into  the  service  of  the  United 
States  on  the  4th  day  of  October,  18G2,  at  Camp  Lincoln, 
Iowa,  by  Lieutenant  C  J.  Ball,  of  the  regular  army. 

''The  fall  election  came  on  for  the  choosing  of  State 
officers  and  members  of  Congress,  and  the  Thirty-sixth  Iowa 
voted  in  camp.  Captain  M.  J,  Varner  was  on  the  board  of 
election.  Mr.  J,  B.  Grinnell  was  elected  to  the  lower  house. 
On  November  28,  1862,  six  companies  were  embarked  on 
board  the  Fred  Lorenze,  and  on  the  29th  the  remaining  four 
companies  on  the  Harrison,  and  next  day  landed  in  St.  Louis 
and  marched  out  to  Benton  Barracks,  where  the  command 
found  quarters  and  engaged  in  the  duties  incident  to  the 
preparation  for  the  active  life  of  soldiers.  Regular  details 
were  made  on  us  for  men  to  serve  on  camp  guard,  fatigue 
duty,  policing  camp,  etc.  The  regiment  was  in  Benton  Bar- 
racks from  December  1st  to  19th;  on  the  latter  day  orders 
came  to  "fall  in,"  for  we  didn't  know  where.  The  order  was 
obeyed,  and  the  regiment  was  soon  on  board  the  Jennie 
Deans  and  Warsaw,  which  landed  it  in  Memphis,  Tenn.,  Tues- 
day evening,  December  2.3, 1862. 

"On  this  trip,  when  nearing  Columbus,  Kentucky,  the 
regiment  was  ordered  to  prepare  for  battle,  which  it  did.  On 
reaching  the  landing-place  in  Columbus,  we  were  hurried  on 
shore,  marched  to  an  open  place,  and  formed  into  line  of  bat- 
tle— rifles  freshly  loaded  and  forty  rounds  in  cartridge- 
boxes — to  wait  for  Forrest.  The  night  wore  away,  Forrest 
did  not  come,  and  the  regiment  marched  on  board  of  the 
boats.  The  first  night  in  Memphis  the  men  of  the  command 
slept  by  their  guns  in  Court  Square,  Memphis,  around  the 
marble  bust  of  General  Jackson — a  beautiful  place,  nice 
shade-trees,  every  prospect  pleasing.  A  day  or  two  later  we 
were  moved  to  Fort  Tickering,  being  the  exact  line  where 
General  Jackson  prepared  to  receive  Packenham  and  his 
army  in  1815.  The  stay  here  was  brief,  as  on  the  last  day  of 
the  old  year  we  were  landed  in  Helena,  Arkansas,  in  the 
midst  of  a  rain-storm. 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA.  105 

''Helena  was  and  is  the  coiiuly  seat  of  Phillips  County, 
Arkansas.  At  the  time  of  our  arrival  it  was  held  by  some 
5,000  Union  forces.  It  A\as  a  sort  of  sujiply  station  for  our 
arm}',  and  was  garrisoned  largely  by  convalescent  soldiers. 
I'ort  Curtis  was  manned  by  several  heavy  guns  located  so 
as  to  command  the  shores  and  hills  of  the  river.  The  regi- 
ment went  on  duty  in  whatever  capacity  placed,  and  was  fast 
learning  a  soldier's  duties,  when  General  Gorman  sent  a 
force  of  men  to  IMoon  Lake  on  the  east  bank  of  the  river, 
about  twelve  miles  below  Helena,  and  blew  up  the  embank- 
ment, letting  the  water  from  the  river  overrun  the  whole 
country. 

*'By  the  26th  of  February,  1803,  the  Yazoo  Pass  expedi- 
ti(m,  several  thousand  strong,  was  on  its  way  down  toward 
Fort  Pemberton,  Mississippi.  General  Clinton  B.  Fiske  was 
in  command.  The  Thirty-sixth  Iowa  was  on  the  steamboats 
Mariner  and  Lavina  Lof/an.  The  river  was  crooked,  narrow, 
and  deep — treesonits  bank  hung  over  the  water,  making  nav- 
igation slow  and  difficult.  Many  times  the  boats  were  greatly 
injured — in  some  cases  their  smoke-stacks  were  knocked 
down  and  the  '^gingerbread  work"  nearly  all  broken  off. 
Two  or  three  rebel  boats  were  in  our  front;  these  were  chased 
by  our  fleet.  One,  the  Parallel,  a  large  boat  loaded  with  cot- 
Ion,  was  tired  and  abandoned  by  the  enemy.  The  burning 
bales  illumined  far  and  near  the  wooded  shores  of  the 
crooked  river.  Fort  Pemberton  was  situated  at  the  conflu- 
ence of  the  Yallabeesha  and  Tallahachie  rivers.  Below  this 
the  stream  is  known  as  the  Yazoo  River.  Major-General  W. 
\V.  Loring  was  in  command  of  the  fort.  We  were  halted  at 
the  village  of  Greenwood  by  obstructions  in  tlie  river.  The 
(liUlU-othe,  one  of  our  gun-boats,  first  engaged  in  an  ai'tillery 
duel  with  the  enemy,  which  made  a  loud  noise,  but  no  results. 

"Next  day,  March  13,  1803,  our  regiment  was  sent  to  the 
front,  and  held  in  battle-line  while  the  naval  forces  on  the 
Union  side  carried  on  a  furious  fight  with  great  guns,  which 
lasted  several  hours.  The  next  morning  witnessed  the  re- 
newal of  artillery  tight  with  Pemberton  until  an  18-pound 
siiot  from  the  enemy's  line  entered  one  of  the  port-holes  of  the 
i'hiUUothr.  killing  -t  and  wounding  7  of  luM'  men.  Tln^  light 
was  kej)l  up  on  our  part  by  the  gtin-boal  l>r  Kalh  and  by  our 
land  batleiics  until  sundown.  The  next  morning  the  com- 
mander (»f  the  Union  forces  concluded  to  give  it  up  and  start 
back  uj)  the  river,  which  he  did. 


106  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

''General  Quimby,  with  a  force  of  se\'eral  thousand  men. 
met  us  on  the  27th  of  March  and  assumed  command.  All 
our  forces  were  soon  in  motion,  going  down  to  give  Fort 
Pemberton  another  turn.  But  on  March  23d  he  received  an 
order  from  General  Grant  to  go  back  up  the  river,  abandon- 
ing the  seige  of  Fort  Pemberton.  While  in  camp  in  front  of 
Fort  Pemberton  the  Thirty-sixth  was  ordered  out  on  an  ex- 
pedition of  exploration  to  find  a  way  of  approach  to  the  fort, 
but  no  way  was  discovered.  Water  was  in  our  way  in  all 
directions.  That  trip  made  many  cases  of  sickness  in  our 
ranks.  The  men  were  compelled  to  wade  in  water  waist- 
deep  in  some  places,  and  exposure  brought  on  sickness,  which 
resulted  in  death  during  that  spring  and  summer.  The  regi- 
ment reached  Helena  again  on  the  8th  day  of  April,  1863,  and 
went  into  camp  near  Fort  Curtis,  where  it  did  garrison  duty. 
About  the  2d  day  of  ^lay  the  Third  Iowa  Cavalry  got  into  a 
fight  with  Dobbins'  rebel  guerrillas  at  Lagrange,  about 
twenty  miles  from  Helena,  and  lost  several  men,  killed, 
wounded,  and  prisoners,  including  Adjutant  Lowe,  son  of 
Governor  Lowe,  who  was  mortally  wounded.  The  Thirty- 
sixth  Iowa,  with  other  troops,  was  ordered  out  to  help  the 
cavalry.  We  went,  but  the  rebels  were  such  good  runners 
that  we  did  not  overtake  them.  The  men  of  the  command 
got  lots  of  good  chickens  and  other  tilings  good  to  eat.  Time 
passed,  and  soon  it  began  to  be  in  the  talk  of  those  best 
posted  that  the  rebels  would  attack  us. 

Battle  of  Helena,  July  Jf,  1863. 

"General  V*.  M.  Prentice  was  in  command  of  all  our 
forces.  He  had  about  3,800  men  for  duty,  behind  strong 
earth-works  mounted  with  good  guns.  The  gun-boat  Tyler, 
Lieutenant  J.  M.  Pritchett  commanding,  was  in  the  river  in 
front  of  the  town.  Batteries  A,  B,  C,  and  D  were  so  located 
as  to  favor  the  defensive  and  prevent  the  bringing  up  of 
artillery  by  the  enemy.  The  rebel  general  Holmes  brought 
7,G40  men  to  the  attack  early  on  Saturday  morning,  July  4, 
1803.  Having  arrived  within  five  miles  on  the  morning  of  the 
3d,  his  front  well  covered  by  cavalry,  who  permitted  no  one 
to  passthem  riverward,  he  rested  his  men  till  midnight,  when 
they  were  moved  to  within  a  mile  or  so  of  the  outworks, 
where  they  halted  till  daybreak,  and  then  pushed  on.  Gen- 
eral Price,  with  a  force  of  3,095,  assaulted  Battery  C  under  a 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA.  107 

withering  fire  from  the  Union  lines,  Fort  Curtis,  and  the 
gun-boat  Ti/Icr.  He  succeeded  in  capturing  some  of  our 
guns,  but  only  for  a  little  time.  The  fire  from  our  guns  was 
more  than  could  be  endured  b.v  men  alive.  Some  regiments 
took  refuge  behind  a  church;  in  an  incredibly  short  space  of 
time  that  church  was  lying  in  splinters  over  the  hillside 
scene  of  conflict,  and  700  men  surrendered  to  our  people  and 
were  marched  down  tlie  river,  placed  on  board  of  boats,  and 
were  on  their  way  to  prison  at  Alton,  Illinois,  before  the  bat- 
tle was  over.  The  Thirty-sixth  took  part  in  the  engagement 
from  opening  to  close.  It  was  in  the  rifle-pits  at  Battery  A 
with  a  reserve,  with  its  line  reaching  to  the  Sterling  road. 
'General  ^larmaduke  was  here  trying  to  force  his  way  in.' 
The  Twenty-ninth,  Thirty-third,  and  Thirty-sixth  Iowa  won 
their  first  laurels  in  battle. 

'•Hon.  John  F.  Lacey,  who  was  present  and  saw,  says: 
'Price's  charge  with  his  Missourians  was  a  terrible  one.'  The 
hills  and  ravines  were  full  of  his  dead  and  wounded.  So  it 
was  with  Fagan  in  front  of  Battery  D.  The  rebel  columns 
came  down  over  the  hills  during  the  gray  of  the  morning  of 
that  4:th  of  July.  They  came  with  the  rebel  yell  so  well 
known  by  Union  soldiers.  Solomon  Reynolds,  a  Thirty-sixth 
man  on  picket,  was  killed  by  the  first  volley  from  the  advanc- 
ing rebel  line.  When  Price  took  Battery  C.  swai-ms  of  his 
men  ran  for  Fort  Curtis.  InstJintly  all  the  great  guns  on  the 
fort  and  in  the  Tpler  down  at  the  river  belched  forth  their 
volleys  of  death,  which  caused  the  invaders  to  'about  face.' 
Colonel  Kittredge  led  the  Thirty-sixth  in  tliis  battle,  and  was 
well  pleased  with  the  gallantry  of  his  men  and  the  result  of 
the  fight.  The  enemy  retreated  to  Little  Rock,  and  left  their 
dead  to  be  buried  by  our  men  on  Sunday,  July  5,  180H. 

"Holmes  admits  his  total  loss  at  1,<);1(».  General  Prentice 
says:  'AVe  captured  1,100  ]>iison('rs  and  buried  nearly  .'^00 
rebels,  while  our  loss  was  less  than  lioO  in  all.'  The  battle 
lasted  from  daylight  until  11  o'clock.  The  Thirty-sixth  had 
not  eaten  breakfast  when  the  long  roll  sounded,  and  there 
was  no  time  to  eat  till  after  the  battle. 

Capture  of  Littlr  I\ocJ:. 

"The  surrender  of  Vieksburg  and  other  victories  having 
left  General  Grant's  army  unemployed,  Major-General  Fre<l 
Steele  was  sent  to  Helena  to  fit  out  and  lead  an  army  for  the 
capture  of  Little  Rock,  Ark.     About  0.000  men,  with  2-  guns. 


108  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

left  Helena  on  August  11,  1868,  under  General  Steele,  for 
Little  Kock.  The  weather  was  very  hot  and  drv,  and  march- 
ing was  slow  and  difficult.  The  sick-list  was  very  large. 
Those  of  the  Thirty-sixth  were  sent  in  chai'ge  of  Lieutenant 
D.  H.  Scott,  on  a  boat,  via  the  mouth  of  the  White  River,  to 
Devall's  Bluff,  and  set  off  on  the  ground  without  sufficient 
tents  to  shelter  them.  Captains  Varner,  of  Company  A,  and 
Webb,  of  Company  K,  were  very  sick  and  soon  died;  at  least 
1,000  men  were  on  the  sick-list  when,  on  August  30th, 
Steele's  forces  left  White  River  for  Brownsville,  which  was 
reached  September  1st. 

"On  the  3d  they  reached  Bayou  Metoe,  passing  over  the 
ground  where  a  fight  between  our  cavalry  and  the  enemy  had 
taken  place.  Some  cavalry  men  of  the  First  Iowa  were 
killed.  Colonel  Dan  Anderson's  horse  fell  under  him  and  the 
colonel  made  a  narrow  escape.  General  Davidson,  with 
G,000  cavalry  men  and  18  guns,  added  to  our  fighting  ability 
very  much.  The  skirmish  fighting  at  Brownsville  and  Bayou 
]\Ietoe  was  by  our  cavalry  and  artillery.  The  enemy  had 
erected  a  fort  on  the  level  land  north  of  the  Arkansas  River 
and  placed  in  it  men  and  arms  to  defend  it  against  the 
'Yanks.'  Long-handled  pike-poles  were  provided,  with 
sharp  iron  points,  with  which  to  prod  men  to  death.  Steele 
caused  the  banks  of  the  river  to  be  cut  down  and  a  pontoon 
bridge  laid  six  or  eight  miles  east  of  the  city  of  Little  Rock, 
and  sent  several  regiments,  including  some  of  our  Iowa 
cavalry,  across  to  the  south  side  of  the  river,  thus  flanking 
the  fort  entirely.  The  enemy  soon  found  this  out  and  evacu- 
ated the  fort,  retreating  pell-mell  for  the  city.  We  had 
camped  the  night  before  at  Mill  Bayou,  from  which  a  forced 
nmrch  began,  which  ended  in  the  capture  of  Little  Rock.  A 
large  ITnion  flag  floated  from  the  tall  flagstaff  on  the  State- 
house  at  5  o'clock  p.  m.  The  fighting,  began  by  the  rebel 
skirmishing  parties  early  in  the  morning,  lasted  till  nearly 
sundown.  This  was  on  September  10,  1863.  The  rebels  set 
fire  to  and  partly  burned  their  pontoon  bridge  over  the 
Arkansas  below  town,  also  a  boat  fitting  up  for  a  gun-boat 
(the  Fontchartrain),  about  six  cars,  a  machine  shop,  and 
other  public  property,  and  fled  eti  masse  from  the  city  in  the 
direction  of  Arkadelphia.  Steele's  forces  marched  into 
camp,  the  bands  playing  'Yankee  Doodle'  and  the  men  shout- 
ing with  all  their  might.  Great  clouds  of  dust  arose  from 
the  tramping  of  the  enemy  and   our  cavalry  in  pursuit. 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA.  109 

The  sound  of  our  cannon  was  heard  away  into  the  night, 
while  in  pursuit.  Many  old  citizens  fled  along  with  the  rebel 
army,  leaving  their  houses  and  otlier  property  in  the  hands 
of  tlie  'Yanks.'  At  first  the  Thirty-sixth  went  into  camp  north 
of  tlie  river,  and  later  established  permanent  quarters  for 
the  winter  near  the  State  arsenal,  southeast  of  the  city.  We 
supi)orted  a  battery  on  the  north  bank  of  the  river,  which 
required  much  double-quick  marching  on  the  10th,  and  the 
men  of  our  comnumd  were  very  tired  Avhen  night  put  an  end 
to  the  contest.  We  lost  no  men  in  battle,  but  the  mortality 
by  sickness  was  terrible, 

''One  of  the  notable  events  of  that  winter  was  the  cap- 
ture and  execution  of  a  rebel  spy.  David  O.  Dodd,  a  young 
man,  was  caught,  tried,  and  condemned  to  hang  on  the  8th  of 
January,  1864.  The  writer  witnessed  his  execution — a  sad 
sight  indeed.  He  was  hung  on  the  campus  of  St.  John's 
(Jollege,  Little  Kock,  the  school  in  which  he  had  received  his 
education.  A  hollow  square  of  Union  troops  was  formed, 
into  which  the  wagon  containing  the  condemned  man  and 
his  coflfin  and  a  chaplain  was  driven,  under  the  gallows. 
After  prayer  by  the  chaplain,  at  a  signal  given,  the  end-gate 
of  the  wagon  fell,  and  with  it  the  young  man,  dangling  be- 
tween earth  and  sky.  One  or  two  shrugs  of  the  shoulders 
and  drawing  up  of  the  lower  limbs,  and  all  was  over.  A  copy 
of  a  letter  written  by  him  a  short  time  before  may  serve  to 
impress  the  reader  with  the  solemnity  of  this  case. 

"  'Militarv  Prison,  Little  Rock, 
"  'January's,  10  o'clock  a.m.,  1864. 

"  'My  dear  Parents  and  Sisters, — I  was  arrested  as  a  spy 
and  tried,  and  was  sentenced  to  be  hung  to-day  at  3  o'clock. 
The  time  is  fast  approaching,  but,  thank  (xod!  I  am  not  afraid 
to  die.  I  expect  to  meet  you  in  heaven.  Do  not  weep  for 
me,  for  I  will  be  better  off  in  heaven.  I  will  soon  be  out  of 
this  world  of  sorrow  and  trouble.  T  would  like  to  see  you 
all  before  I  die,  but  let  God's  will  be  done,  not  ours.  [  pray 
God  to  give  you  strength  to  bear  your  troubles  while  in  this 
world.  I  hope  God  will  receive  you  in  heaven.  There  1  will 
meet  you.  ^Mother,  I  know  it  will  be  hard  for  you  to  give  ui> 
your  only  son,  but  yon  must  remember  it  is  God's  will. 
( J(Hid  bye.  God  will  give  you  strength  to  bear  your  troubles. 
I  pray  that  we  may  meet  in  heaven.  Good-bye.  God  will 
bless  vou  all.  Youi-  son  and  brother, 

"  'David  0.  Dodd: 


110  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

Camden  Expedition. 

"General  Steele  left  Little  Kock  on  March  23,  1864,  in 
command  of  the  Seventh  Army  Corps,  to  cooperate  with 
General  IJanks'  Red  River  expedition.  After  the  first  day- 
out  from  Little  Rock,  v^e  had  about  thirty  days'  fighting, 
some  times  in  front  — at  other  times  in  the  rear  or  on  either 
flank.  At  Spoonville  it  began,  and  Elkins'  Ford,  Prairie  de 
Ann,  Camden,  and  Mark's  Mills  were  each  in  turn  the  scene 
of  conflict.  Company  K  started  on  this  march  with  53  men  all 
told.  The  Thirty-sixth  was  present  and  took  part  in  each 
of  these  fights.  Its  loss  was  inconsiderable  until  at  Mark's 
Mills;  in  that  fight  it  had  8  men  killed  or  mortally  wounded. 
The  regiment  lost  in  all  49  killed  and  the  remainder  cap- 
tured; only  one  or  two  men  escaped.  Jonathan  Witham,  of 
Company  K,  was  knocked  down  by  a  spent  ball,  and  when  he 
became  conscious  he  found  himself  alone.  He  walked  all 
the  way  to  the  Union  lines  at  Little  Rock,  hiding  in  daytime, 
ti-aveling  at  night;  he  was  nearly  dead  when  he  reached  our 
outside  pickets.  Lieutenant-Colonel  Drake  was  in  com- 
mand of  the  brigade,  the  Forty-third  Indiana,  Thirty-sixth 
Towa  and  Seventy-seventh  Ohio,  and  received  a  wound  in 
one  of  his  lower  limbs  above  the  knee,  which  seemed  mortal. 
He  and  all  others  severely  wounded  were  left  behind  and 
finally  paroled  and  exchanged,  but  those  able  to  march  were 
taken  in  a  southwesterly  direction  towards  Texas. 

"The  battle  occurred  on  the  forenoon  of  Monday,  April 
25^.  1864;  the  march  to  prison  began  that  afternoon,  and  con- 
tinued without  stopping  until  sundown  Tuesday,  when  we 
reached  the  Washita  River.  At  this  point  the  prisoners 
were  allowed  to  rest  and  eat  whatever  they  were  fortunate 
enough  to  find.  The  writer  snatched  an  ear  of  corn  from  a 
mule  at  the  roadside,  just  before  stopping;  a  fire  was  kindled, 
some  dry  sticks  burned,  and  the  corn  was  roasted  in  the 
ashes;  this,  with  coffee  from  grounds  in  Robert  Turner's 
can,  which  had  been  boiled  and  used  Monday  morning  for 
breakfast,  served  for  a  meal  for  'Mess  3.'  Chaplain  Hare 
said  it  was  the  best  coffee  he  ever  tasted.  Our  marches  were 
ke])t  up  until  on  Sunday,  May  15,  1864,  the  big  gate  of  the 
prison  stockade  at  Camp  Ford,  Smith  County,  Texas,  swung 
wide  open  to  receive  the  J  .200  or  more  new  men.  We  were 
marched  into  our  future  home,  halted  in  line,  and  listened  to 
a  speech  from  Colonel  Hill,  commander  of  the  camp.  Then 
we  sat  down,  looked  about  us,  and  wondered  how  long  we 


112  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

would  have  to  stay  in  that  horrible  place — no  shade, 
shelter,  or  anything  else  necessary  to  our  life.  We  were  very 
hungry  and  began  to  hunt  for  something  to  eat.  The  writer 
paid  a  one-dollar  greenback  for  one  'pone'  of  coarse  corn- 
bread.  A  little  latter  he  sold  his  blue  dress  coat  for  |75,  Con- 
federate money,  and  bought  for  that  sum  nearly  seven 
pounds  of  flour.  Corporal  Eads  set  a  can  of  old-fashioned 
'salt-rising,'  and  with  it  baked  a  loaf  of  bread.  In  this  way 
we  had  a  little  bread.  Confederate  beef,  Texas  long-horns, 
came  in  about  every  third  day.  Weevil-eaten  corn,  ground 
into  coarse  meal  on  the  horse-mill,  was  dealt  out  every  second 
day.  The  ration  was  one-quarter  of  a  pound  of  meat  and  a 
pint  of  meal  per  day. 

"On  the  2.3d  of  July,  18»i7,  Major  A.  H.  Hamilton  and 
Captain  John  Lambert,  of  Company  K,  and  Allan  W.  Miller, 
of  Company  C,  made  their  escape.  At  that  time  the  writer 
was  lying  sick  under  an  old  gum-blanket,  stretched  on  poles, 
which  served  as  some  protection  by  day  and  night.  The 
major  came  to  my  bed  to  say  'good-bye,'  Before  going,  he 
advised  me  to  make  a  soldier's  will,  by  leaving  word  with 
some  of  my  comrades  as  to  the  disposition  of  my  effects  at 
home.  He  told  me  I  wais  a  very  sick  man,  and  might  not 
get  well.  I  thanked  him  for  his  advice,  but  told  him  I 
expected  to  come  out  of  that  prison.  I  never  for  one  moment 
gave  up  to  die  there.  If  I  had,  I  would  in  all  probability 
have  died  there.  The  three  men  walked  to  the  west  gate 
and  presented  a  pass  to  go  to  the  blacksmith  shop  south  of 
the  camp.  It  seemed  to  be  properly  signed  and  counter- 
signed, and  the  guard  let  them  out.  From  my  lowly  bed, 
lying  on  my  side,  I  watched  them  go  away  paist  headquarters 
and  over  the  ridge  towards  the  south,  out  of  sight.  They 
had  hired  a  darky  to  bring  some  grub  to  them  in  the  woods, 
which  he  did.  Lambert  was  a  good  blacksmith,  and  they 
were  carrying  two  old  axes  that  needed  up-setting.  The 
axes  were  soon  left  by  the  roadside  and  those  three  men 
were  many  days  traveling  north  before  thej^  reached  the 
Union  lines.  Miller  and  Lambert  soon  died,  but  Major 
Hamilton  survives. 

"On  the  night  of  the  28th  a  subterranean  tunnel  was 
opened  through  the  stockade,  by  prisoners,  and  a  lot  of  them 
escaped.  INIost  of  them  were  brought  back,  havinig  been 
caught  by  blood-hounds.  That  tunnel  was  weeks  in  prepara- 
tion, having  been  begun  in  a  shanty  many  rods  from  the 


or 

HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA.  113 

stockade.  The  dirt  was  carefully  deposited  in  small  quan- 
tities here  and  there  over  the  ground,  so  as  not  to  attract 
attention.  The  boys  going  out  made  a  mistake;  they  kej^t 
l)assing  out  until  after  daylight,  and  a  sentry,  seeing  them 
IKiss  out  from  the  tall  weeds  and  grass  as  though  they  had 
come  up  out  of  the  earth,  fired  his  gun  and  raised  the 
alarm. 

'"On  Tuesday,  -June  21st,  from  my  place  in  camp,  I 
looked  across  the  narrow  depression  of  the  land  between 
us  and  the  rebel  headqujirters  south,  and  saw  a  rebel  officer 
flog  a  colored  woman.  My  attention  was  drawn  by  her 
cries  as  he  laid  on  the  bloAVs  across  her  naked  shoulders 
and  back  with  the  cat-o'-ninetails.  I  was  not  brought  up 
an  abolitionist,  but  this  sight  made  one  of  me.  Two  or 
three  little  children  of  hers  stood  partly  behind  the  cabin 
and  saw  their  mother  being  beaten,  and  the  little  fellows 
cried  too.  I  also  got  mad.  It  was  no  wonder  this  country 
suffered  so  terribly  in  the  war. 

"Along  about  July  1st,  the  prisoners  began  to  die  very 
fast.     Three  died  during  the  night  of  that  day. 

"(>n  the  2d  some  prisoners  tried  to  escape,  and  the  next 
day  the  following  order  was  posted  upon  a  board  at  the 
meal -box: 

"  'Headquarters  Gamp  of  Federal  Prisoners, 

"  'Near  Tvler,  Texas,  July  3,  1864. 
"  'General  Order  No.  . 

"  'Hereafter,  any  Federal  prisoner  detected  in  trying 
to  make  his  esca{>e  from  prison,  either  in  the  act  or  after 
he  lias  made  his  escape,  will  be  shot  by  the  one  capturing 
him. 

'■  'By  oi'der  of  I.t.-Col.  J.  P.  B()rder. 

"  'Ji.  W.  McEachen, 
"  'Lieutenant  and  A.  A.  Adjutant.' 

"Cam])  Ford  was  an  enclosure  of  possibly  6  acres  of 
land,  4  miles  north  of  Tyler,  Smith  County,  Texas.  The 
stockade  was  made  of  half-logs  12  feet  in  length,  4  feet  of 
same  set  in  the  ground.  The  spring  supplying  water  was  in 
the  southwest  corner  of  the  stockade.  It  was  fairly  good 
water.  Wood  for  use  in  cooking  and  fuel  was  cut  on  the 
lands  nearest  the  camj),  and  usually  carried  on  the  shoulders 
of  men.  Tliere  were  two  gates — one  in  the  north,  the  other 
at  the  southwest  corner  of  the  camj).  The  boys  of  the 
Thirty-sixth  wci-c  paroled  for  exchange  in  February,  and  on 


114  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

the  loth  of  that  month  th^y  bade  adieu  to  Camp  Ford 
forever,  and  took  up  their  line  of  march  for  Shreveport, 
La.  At  that  place  they  were  embarked  on  board  rebel 
transports,  the  Nina  Sims,  DouUoon,  and  Texas,  and  reached 
the  mouth  of  Red  River,  Louisiana,  February  25, 1864,  where 
they  were  exchanged  for  a  like  number  of  rebels.  When 
we  reached  the  mouth  of  that  crookedest  of  rivers,  the 
Yankees  on  board  began  to  yell  for  joy,  and  it  is  the  private 
opinion  of  the  writer  that  those  old  Spanish  live-oaks  on 
the  banks  of  the  Mississippi  had  not  witnessed  such  noise 
since  they  began  their  tree  life.  A  great  big  flag  floating 
over  the  United  States  gun-boat  Tennessee  caused  the  yelling. 
The  Magenta,  a  large  lower-river  steamer,  came  up  the 
river  and  was  drafted  intoi  the  service  to  carry  the  'boys' 
to  a  camp  of  distribution  in  New  Orleans,  which  was 
reached  by  daylight  February  2f>th.  The  Louisiana  cotton- 
press  camp  of  distribution  furnished  good  quarters  for  the 
squad  of  1,500,  who  went  to  work  getting  hair  cut,  beards 
trimmed,  new  clothes,  new  everything — and  in  a  short  time 
all  were  ready  to  go  north.  Those  who-  had  been  prisoners 
were  granted  prisoners'  furlough  of  thirty  days  from  Cairo, 
111.  They  came  up,  enjoyed  the  fresh  air  and  good  victuals 
in  Iowa  homes,  and  returned  and  rejoined  their  regiment 
(that  portion  of  it  left  at  Camden,  Ark.)  in  April,  1864,  at 
Saint  Charles,  Ark.  These  escaped  Camp  Ford,  but  they 
were  participants  in  the  battle  of  Junkins'  Ferry  under 
Steele  on  his  retreat  from  Camden. 

"The  reunited  regiment  remained  on  White  River,  at 
St.  Charles,  Devall's  Bluff,  and  at  tJie  mouth  of  the  river, 
doing  such  duty  as  came  to  hand,  till  August  24,  1865, 
when  they  received  their  discharges  and  were  sent  to 
Davenport,  Iowa,  and  paid  off,  *about  September  7,  1865. 
Colonel  Kittredge  issued  his  farewell  order,  which  I  copy 
in  closing: 

"  'Headquarters  36th  Iowa  Inft., 
"  'Davenport,  Iowa,  Sept.  6,  1865. 
"  'General  Orders  No.  20. 
"  'Officers  and  Soldiers: 

"  'Your  commanding  officer,  upon  the  final  discharge 
of  the  regiment  and  its  return  to  civil  life,  desires  to  express 
his  admiration  of  the  conduct  of  both  officers  and  men  for 
the  past  three  years;  and  to  express  the  hope  that  in  civil 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA.  115 

life  all  will  prove,  as  heretofore,  true  men  and  worthy  of  the 
hi<j:h  distinction  of  beinji:  called  Iowa  soldiers  and  citizens — 
and  I  have  no  doubt  that  the  new  duties  devolving  upon 
you  will  be  ais  promptly  and  faithfully  performed  in  the 
future  as  those  of  the  past  have  been, 

"  'In  bidding  the  command  farewell,  your  commanding 
officer  is  happy  to  express  his  high  appreciation  of  the 
meritorious  services  of  the  command  and  his  personal 
knowledge  of  their  individual  worth,  and  trusts  that  your 
future  may  be  a.s  happy  and  prosperous  as  your  past  has 
been  arduous  and  illustrious;  and  now  bids  you  adieu 
with  heartfelt  wishes  for  your  individual  happiness  and 
prosperity.' 

"The  number  of  men  enlisted  in  the  regiment  at  first  was 
988;  total  aggregate,  old  soldiers  and  recruits,  was  1,240; 
killed  or  mortally  wounded  at  Mark's  Mills,  49.  There  had 
been  280  deaths  since  organization ;  20  more  died  soon  after 
discharge;  we  lost  30  men  on-  the  road  and  at  Camp  Ford. 
We  started  on  the  Yazoo  Pass  expedition  with  600  men. 

"Josiah  T.  Young, 
"Sergeant  Co.  K,  36th  Iowa." 

History  of  the  Twenty-second  Iowa  Infantry. 

The  Twenty-second  Iowa  Infantiy  was  organized  in 
1862,  and  on  the  10th  day  of  June  of  that  year,  the  regiment, 
commanded  by  Colonel  \Vm.  M,  Stone,  afterwards  Governor 
of  Iowa,  rendezvoused  at  Camp  Pope  in  Iowa  City.  There 
were  seven  comlpanies  of  this  regiment  organized  from 
Johnson  County,  one  from  Jasper,  one  from  IMonroe,  and 
one  from  Wapello  County. 

The  regiment  was  mustered  into  the  United  States  ser- 
vice on  tlie  9th  of  September,  1862.  On  the  14th  of  Septem- 
ber the  regiment  was  shipped  by  rail  to  Davenport.  From 
that  point  it  was  transported  to  St.  Louis,  on  board  the 
steamer  Metropolitan.  Arriving  in  St.  Louis,  the  men  were 
assigned  quarters  at  Benton  Barracks,  and  here  the  regi- 
ment remained  for  a  week  or  more.  On  September  22d  the 
regiment  was  placed  on  cars  and  shipped  to  Rolla,  Mo.,  where 
it  remained  until  January  27,  1863,  when  it  was  assigned 
to  the  array  of  General  Davidson  at  West  Plains,  Mo.  It 
was  then  brigaded  with  the  Twenty-first  and  Twenty-third 
Iowa  Infantry,  the  Eighth  and  Eighteenth  Indiana  Infantry, 
and  the  Eleventh  Wisconsin  regiments.     These  regiments 


116  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

constituted  the  Finst  Brigade  of  the  First  Division  of  the 
Army  of  Southeast  Missouri. 

The  army,  after  remaining  at  West  Plains  for  about 
two  weeks,  took  up  its  line  of  march  for  Iron  Mountain,  at 
which  place  it  arrived  on  the  2Gth  day  of  February,  1868. 
The  army  remained  at  IroQ  ]\Iountain  until  the  9th  day  of 
March,  when  orders  were  issued  to  join  General  Grant  at 
Vicksburg,  The  army  marciied  by  way  of  Ste.  Genevieve 
and  Milligan's  Bend,  La.  The  corps  staid  on  the  west  bank 
of  the  river  and  remained  about  two  weeks.  By  the  first 
day  of  April  the  entire  Army  of  Southeast  Missouri  had 
concentrated  their  strength  at  Milligan's  Bend,  where  Grant 
was  making  preparations  for  the  Vicksburg  campaign. 
When  the  troops  were  conicentrated  at  this  point,  the 
Twenty-second  Iowa,  Eleventh  Wisconsin,  the  Twenty-first 
and  Twenty-third  Iowa,  constituted  the  Second  Brigade, 
Fourth  Division,  Thirteenth  Army  Corps.  General  Carr 
commanded  the  division,  and  General  McClemand  com- 
manded the  corps. 

On  the  morning  of  the  12th  of  April,  1868,  the  brigade 
proceeded  to  Richmond,  La.,  where  they  had  a  brush  with  a 
small  body  of  rebel  cavalry,  defeating  it.  The  brigade 
then  pushed  on  to  Perkins'  Landing  to  await  the  arrival  of 
the  corps. 

A  fleet  of  transports  and  gun-boats,  having  succeeded 
in  getting  past  Vicksburg,  arrived  in  the  vicinity  of  Grand 
Gulf  on  the  28th  oif  April.  The  Thirteenth  Corps,  having 
gone  on  down  the  river  from  Milligan's  Bend,  arrived  in 
the  vicinity  of  Grand  Gulf,  and  were  taken  on  board  the 
assembled  transports,  with  a  view  to  making  an  assault  on 
the  rebel  batteries  along  the  river.  In  front  of  the  trans- 
ports were  the  Federal  gun-boats,  pouring  their  shot  and 
shell  into  the  rebel  batteries.  It  was  a  terrific  duel,  and 
the  troops  on  board  the  transports  saw  it  all  in  plain  view. 
The  engagement  lasted  all  the  afternoion  of  the  29tli  of 
April,  and  on  the  80th  the  Union  forces  passed  on  d'own  the 
river  and  crossed  a  short  distance  below.  The  fleet  which 
engaged  the  rebel  batteries  was  headed  by  the  gun-boat 
Benton,  and  every  soldier  of  the  Twenty-second  Iowa  has  a 
vivid  recollection  of  seeing  the  white  sheets  of  smoke  rolling 
out  over  the  surface  of  the  river  from  the  gun-boats,  followed 
by  the  tremendous  report  of  the  cannon.  Then  they  saw 
the  batteries  on  shore,  responding  with  their  deafening  re- 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA.  117 

tort.  Tlioy  watched  the  duel  all  the  afteruoon.  It  was  a 
terrible  wiuiiouade,  but  no  results  of  any  consequence  were 
achieved,  save  the  dismounting  of  some  of  tlie  enemy's  guns. 
The  object  in  taking  llie  troops  on  board  the  transports  was 
evidently  to  use  them  in  a  combined  attack  on  the  rebel 
stronghold,  but  it  was  soon  ascertained  that  they  were  too 
strongly  fortitied.  The  troops  were  landed  and  marched 
down  the  levee,  three  miles  below  Grand  Gulf,  and  waited 
until  morning. 

During  the  night  the  gun-boats  and  transports  suc- 
ceeded in  passing  the  rebel  batteries,  and  arrived  in  time 
to  take  on  board  the  Thirteenth  Army  Corp;:*,  which  had 
proceeded  by  land.  The  corps  was  transported  down  the 
river  about  sixteen  miles  below  Grand  Gulf,  near  the  village 
of  Bruinsburg,  Miss.,  and  here  it  took  up  its  line  of  march 
for  Port  Gibson.  In  the  attack  at  Port  Gibson  the  Twenty- 
second  Iowa  Infantry  was  placed  in  the  extreme  front. 
The  night  was  dark,  and,  notwithstanding  the  uncertainty 
of  tiring  in  the  darkness,  the  enemy  poured  a  steady  stream 
of  sliot  and  shell  into  the  ranks  of  the  advancing  Union 
column.  The  Twenty -second  Iowa  was  joined  by  the 
Twenty-first  and  Twenty-third  Iowa  Infantry,  and  the 
Eleventh  Wisconsin  Infantry,  but  before  these  regiments 
took  position  the  Eighth  and  Eighteenth  Indiana  Infantry 
were  first  to  follow  the  Twenty-second  in  the  assault.  These 
regiments,  comprising  the  brigade,  were  in  command  of 
Colonel  \Vm.  M.  fc^toiie,  of  the  Twenty-second  Iowa. 

The  fight  began  at  about  1  o'clock  on  the  morning  of 
May  1st,  when  the  advancing  column  was  within  about  tliree 
miles  from  Port  Gibson.  In  the  midst  of  the  opening  as- 
sault, Ihe  First  Iowa  P>attery  had  been  placed  in  position 
and  the  Twenty-second  Infantry  was  ordered  to  support  it. 
The  rebel  line  was  c«^>mposed  of  artillery  in  front  and  infantry 
back  of  it.  After  about  one  hour's  fighting,  the  rebel  line 
was  forced  back  to  a  stronger  position  about  a  half-mile  to 
the  rear.  At  this  juncture  firing  ceased  on  both  sides,  on 
account  of  the  darkness,  and  the  Union  forces  lay  down  on 
the  field  and  slept  on  their  guns  until  daylight.  When  day 
dawned,  other  regiments  had  come  up  and  taken  their 
positions  in  the  Union  ranks,  and  the  enemy  was  strongly 
entrenched  on  Thompson's  Hill.  Two  com[»anies  of  the 
Twenty-second  ((,'onij)any  11,  ('aptain  Shrader,  and  Company 
G,  Captain  Hawkins)  were  sent  out  as  skirmishers  to  feel 


118  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

the  enemy.  The  entire  brigade  followed  and  then  the  corps. 
Up  the  hill  the  advancing  Federal  column  swept,  like  lines  of 
breakers  against  a  reef.  The  enemy  resisted  stubbornly  for 
a  time,  but  finally  began  to  relinquish  its  footing.  Then  at 
this  stage  there  arose  a  series  of  prolonged  cheers  from  the 
assaulting  columns,  which  ran  along  the  entire  line.  The 
rebels  were  releasing  their  grasp  like  some  monster  in  its 
death  struggles.  They  finally  gave  way  and  broke  in  con- 
fusion. Their  whole  line  was  thrown  into  a  rout,  and  they 
fled  in  great  confusion  in  the  direction  of  Jackson.  The 
Union  forces  captured  several  hundred  prisoners  and  a 
few  pieces  of  artillery.  The  rebels,  after  being  pursued 
three  or  four  miles,  re-formed  and  took  up  a  position  on  the 
outskirts  of  the  town,  to  endeavor  to  cover  the  retreat  of 
their  panic-stricken  army.  An  artillery  duel  was  kept  up 
for  several  hours,  when  the  rebel  batteries  were  silenced. 

In  this  engagement  the  Twenty-second  Iowa  was  again 
called  on  to  support  the  batteries,  and  endured  a  murderous 
fire  from  the  enemy's  guns  at  short  range.  The  Second 
Brigade  was  then  ordered  to  advance  and  carry  the  enemy's 
works  by  storm.  The  Twenty-second  deployed  two  of  its 
companies  as  skirmishers — Company  B,  Captain  Gearkee, 
and  Company  H,  Captain  Shrader.  These  two  companies 
opened  the  attack.  The  brigade  could  not  reach  the  enemy's 
works,  on  account  of  an  intervening  impenetrable  growth  of 
cane  and  underbrush,  but  received  and  returned  their  fire 
until  the  rebels  fled.  The  next  morning,  the  Union  forces 
followed  up  the  retreating  enemy,  and,  after  pursuing  them 
for  several  days,  drove  them  into  Jackson.  Colonel  Stone 
now  returned  to  the  command  of  the  Twenty-second,  having 
been  succeeded  in  his  command  of  the  brigade  by  General 
M.  K.  Lawler. 

On  May  13th  the  Second  Brigade  arrived  at  Mississippi 
Springs;  having  paissed  through  Kaymond.  At  Raymond, 
General  Carr's  division  waited  to  hear  the  result  of  Sher- 
man's expedition  to  Jackson,  and  the  Twenty-second  was 
ordered  to  remain  at  this  point  to  guard  the  train. 

When  the  rebels  evacuated  Jackson,  the  Twenty-second 
took  up  its  line  of  march  for  Champion  Hills,  and  en- 
countered the  enemy  at  Black  River  Bridge,  on  the  morning 
of  the  17th.  General  Carr's  division  led  the  advance.  The 
rebels  were  on  the  Vicksburg  side  of  the  river,  up  on  a  hill- 
side.    They  opened  fire  on  the  Union  columns  before  the 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA.  119 

latter  had  gotten  into  line  of  battle.  The  enemy's  pickets 
were  encountered  about  two  miles  from  the  bridge,  and 
the  rebels  were  very  strongly  fortilied  behind  ritie-pits  along 
the  margin  of  a  swamp  or  bayou. 

General  Lawler  ordered  his  brigade  to  charge  on  these 
works,  and  the  Twenty-second  Iowa,  led  by  Colonel  Kins- 
man, led  the  van,  followed  by  the  Twenty-first  Iowa  and 
Eleventh  Wisconsin.  The  Second  Brigade  dashed  across 
the  open  plain  like  a  troop  of  destroying  fiends.  They  drove 
the  enemy  from  their  entrenchments,  but  their  ranks  were 
decimated  by  the  ritiemen  behind  the  pits.  The  enemy  broke 
and  fled,  and  when  the  brigade  leaped  into  their  trenches, 
the  Twenty-second  Iowa  assaulted  their  left  wing,  cutting 
off  the  retreat  of  the  enemy  before  they  all  could  reach  the 
river.  A  few,  however,  reached  the  river  and  attempted  to 
swim  across,  ibut  many  of  the  number  were  drowned,  as  the 
stream  was  running  swiftly.  As  the  enemy  had  burnt  the 
bridge  across  the  river,  the  Thirteenth  Army  Corps  had  to 
camp  on  the  battle-field. 

On  the  evening  of  the  18th  a  pontoon  bridge  was  thrown 
across  the  river,  above,  and  the  corps  took  up  its  march  on 
the  Jackson  and  Vicksburg  road  for  V'icksburg.  The  enemy 
fell  back  into  the  city,  on  the  approach  of  Grant's  aimj. 
On  the  19th  the  Union  army  reached  Vicksburg  and  all  day 
the  batteries  on  both  sides  kept  up  a  constant  cannonade. 
At  2  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  the  Federal  infantry  made  a 
desperate  charge  on  the  works  and  after  a  couple  of  hours 
of  hard  skirmishing  all  were  driven  back  save  the  Thirteenth 
Corps,  which  succeeded  in  securing  an  advanced  position 
within  500  yaids  of  the  enemy,  where  a  range  of  hills  covered 
them  from  the  enemy's  tire.  In  this  charge,  E.  B.  Judson, 
of  Company  H,  was  struck  in  the  nose  by  a  grape  sihot,  and 
received  a  painful  wound. 

On  the  night  of  the  20th  the  regiment  was  engaged  in 
throwing  up  entrenchments  for  the  tight  on  the  next  day. 
The  men  were  so  weak  from  exhaustion  and  short  rations, 
Alex  McCahan,  a  corporal  of  Company  D,  says,  that  they 
could  not  do  as  much  work  as  ten-year-old  children.  The 
next  day  was  spent  in  continuous  ride-practice  between  the 
two  opposing  forces,  but  with  little  efiect. 

On  the  22d  Colonel  Stone  received  an  order  from 
General  Grant  to  get  his  regiment  ready  to  lead  the  assault 
to  be  made  on  that  date.     The  Twenty-second  was  ordered 


120  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

to  cast  off  everything  that  would  impede  their  movements, 
except  their  guns  and  accouterments.  The  regiment  was 
instructed  to  charge  for  a  position  midway  between  the  two 
lines,  and  hold  it  as  a  ral lying-point.  It  was  about  midnight 
when  the  brigade  stole  noiselessly  over  the  brow  of  the  hill 
and  then  crept  cautiously  down,  the  ravine,  sometimes  being 
obliged  to  crawl  on  their  hands  and  knees,  owing  to 
obstructions  which  the  enemy  had  placed  there.  They 
finally  passed  down  to  the  desired  poisition  without  being 
discovered  by  the  pickets  of  the  enemy,  which  were  but 
twenty  yards  distant.  It  w^as  now  about  daylight,  and  the 
brigade  lay  down  on  the  hillside  to  rest  until  the  assault 
should  be  sounded.  At  9  o'clock  the  brigade  was  formed 
into  battalions  with  the  Twenty-second  Iowa  in  the  advance, 
followed  by  its  two  gallant  consorts,  the  Twenty-first  Iowa 
and  the  Eleventh  Wisconsin.  Promptly  at  10  o'clock 
Colonel  Stone  was  ordered  to  advance,  and  that  instant  the 
regimental  colors  went  sweeping  over  the  hill  like  a  fire- 
brand of  death,  followed  by  a  thousand  bayonets  glistening 
in  the  morning  sun.  It  was  like  the  columns  of  the  Kussians 
(lashing  against  the  walls  of  Plevna. 

The  strouighiold  covered  about  a  half -acre  of  ground, 
and  the  walls  were  15  feet  high,  and  surrounded  by  a  ditch 
10  feet  wide.  While  hurling  his  regiment  against  this 
fortress.  Colonel  Stone  was  wounded,  and  had  to  withdraw. 
Lieutenant-Colonel  Graham  took  command,  and  with  a 
small  force  reached  the  ditch,  but  could  not  climb  over. 
Then,  the  rebels  began  to  throw  hand-grenades  among  the 
assailants.  A,s  soon  as  tJiey  would  strike  the  ground  they 
would  explode.  The  boys  of  the  IVenty-second  would 
catch  them  in  their  hands  as  they  came  over  the  parapets 
and  toss  tliem  back  into  the  rifle-pits  of  the  rebels,  to 
explode — a  frightfully  realistic  game  of  ball  or  lawn-tennis. 

Hugh  Sinclair,  of  Company  D,  who  died  in  Monroe 
County,  July  15,  1887,  and  whose  remains  now  rest  in  Oak 
View  Cemetery  at  Albia,  was  one  of  the  assailing  pai'ty 
who  got  into  the  fort. 

After  three  or  four  hours'  figliting,  the  reg-iment  fell 
back  to  the  shelter  of  a  hill. 

The  party  who  got  into  the  fort  was  led  by  Sergeant 
Joseph  Griffiths,  and  consisted  of  about  15  men,  among 
whom  was  Sinclair.  They  climbed  the  wall  bv  raising  one 
another  up  the  wall.     They  planted  the  colors  on  the  ram- 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA.  121 

pai-t  of  the  fort.  The  attnck  was  a  failure,  and  the  Twenty- 
second  Iowa  and  hei-  two  tightiiij;-iiiates,  the  Twenty-first 
Iowa  Jind  Eleventh  Wisconsin,  reuiained  on  the  field,  giving 
the  enemy  blow  for  blow  until  their  aniniunition  was  entirely 
exhausted, 

Griint,  seeing  that  an. assault  vvais  uselesis,  began  the 
lueiuorable  siege.  Day  b}-  day  his  army  advanced  their 
i-itle-pits,  until  finally  they  were  up  to  the  walls  and  the 
eaieniy  ran  up  a  white  flag. 

The  next  morning  after  the  surrender  of  Vicksburg  the 
entire  Union  army,  save  a  small  garrison,  left  N'icksburg  for 
Jackson,  where  tlie  enemy  had  maissed  in  force.  The 
Twenty-second,  when  it  started  away  from  Vicksburg,  did 
not  have  more  than  150  men  fit  for  duty.  While  the  Twenty- 
second  was  marching  out  of  Vicksburg,  and  while  passing 
Hospital  Surgeon  ^Vllite"s  headquarters.  White  wheeknl  a 
bai'rel  of  whisky  in  front  of  his  quarters  and  knocked  in 
tlie  head  of  the  barrel.  EacJi  man  was  permitted  to  take 
a  tin  cup  full  of  whisky,  and  none  declined.  Some  wanted 
to  till  their  canteens,  but  strict  orders  were  given  that  no 
canteens  should  be  dipped  in.  Alex  Mct'ahan  obeyed  the 
letter  of  the  command,  but  having  a  small  tin  pail  with  him, 
he  dipped  it  in  and  went  on  liis  way  rejoicing. 

When  Sherman's  forces  reached  Jackson  on  the  9tli  of 
July,  the  Ti'oops  were  arranged  in  line  of  battle.  The 
Twenty-second  was  placed  on  the  south  side  of  the  Vicks- 
burg road  leading  to  tlie  city.  Company  F,  commanded  by 
(Japtain  Crce,  aJid  (Jompan}-  U,  commanded  by  Sergeant 
J.  K.  Dunran,  were  deployed  as  skirmishers.  The  rebel 
batteries  opened  witli  grape  and  canister,  and  the  infantry 
had  its  position  in  a  body  of  forest  near  by,  from  whirli 
they  opened  a  h<^avy  tire  of  musketry.  The  Federal  colnmns 
made  a  dash  against  the  enemy's  works,  Imt  were  hurled 
back  in  cxmfusion. 

On  the  10th  the  enemy  evacuated  the  city,  anticipating 
the  attack  which  had  been  planned  for  the  17th.  After 
Jackson  had  be«*n  taken,  th(»  Twenty-second  Iowa  was  em- 
ployed for  a  few  days  in  tearing  up  railway  track,  and  on 
the  24th  of  July  returned  to  Vicksburg. 

While  the  army  was  on  its  return  most  of  the  Twenty- 
second  boys  were  worn  out  with  hard  service.  Most  of  the 
ambulance  horses  were  pressed  into  service  to  draw  the 
artillery,  and  many  soldiers  who  had  in  some  manner  pro- 


122  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

cured  mules  on  which  to  ride  were  forced  by  the  officers  to 
give  them  up  for  use  in  drawing  the  artillery.  Corporal 
Alex  McCahan,  of  Company  D,  had  gotten  possesision  of 
an  old  mule  in  some  way.  McCahan  was  completely  ex- 
hausted, and  had  to  depend  on  the  mule  for  transportation. 
The  mule  was  a  large,  raw-boned  one,  but  a  good  traveler. 
Wm.  Conway,  a  chum  of  McCahan's,  also  secured  a  little 
old  mule,  which  wa?i  totally  worthless.  One  day,  while  on 
the  march,  the  two  men  ran  upon  a  magnificent  double- 
seated  oarriage,  which  was  trimmed  in  frosted  silver  and 
upholstered  in  the  richest  velvets.  They  obtained  some 
ropes  and  improvised  a  set  of  harness,  and  hitching  their 
mules  to  it,  moved  along  in  great  state  for  a  few  days; 
finally,  however,  a  heavy  gun  caisson  ran  over  it,  and 
mashed  it  into  the  earth.  The  drivers  once  more  mounted 
their  steeds  and  continued  the  march,  until  an  oflicer  ap- 
proached Conway  and  ordered  him  to  dismount,  that  they 
might  hitch  the  mule  to  a  gun.  Conway  was  an  Irishman, 
and  of  course  showed  fight;  the  officer  pulled  him  off  and 
took  his  mule,  McCahan,  seeing  an  officer  approach  him, 
stopped  opposite  a  large  stump,  and  began  to  take  off  his 
blanket  as  if  he  intended  turning  the  mule  loose.  The 
officer  approached  and  ordered  him  to  deliver  him  the  mule. 
McCahan  pretended  to  be  very  glad  to  dispose  of  the  mule, 
saying  that  it  was  of  no  use  to  him,  and  that  he  would 
be  glad  if  the  officer  could  do  anything  with  it.  The  officer 
so  far  forgot  himself  as  to  address  McCahan  in  a  respectful 
tone,  and  inquired  if  the  animal  was  good  for  anything. 
McCahan  replied  that  it  was  of  no  use  to  himiself,  and, 
while  seemingly  in  the  act  of  removing  the  rope  bridle,  said 
the  officer  could  have  him,  accompanying  the  tender  with 
an  affected,  sardonic  grin.  The  officer,  supposing  the  mule 
was  worn  out,  then  rode  off  without  saying  another  word. 
When  out  of  sight,  McCahan  slowly  climbed  on  the  mule's 
back  and  galloped  off  to  a  thicket,  and  followed  the  train 
at  some  distance,  so  he  would  not  be  seen  by  the  officers. 
He  states  that  if  there  had  been  no  stump  where  he  dis- 
mounted, he  could  not  have  climbed  on  the  mule''s  back,  as 
he  was  so  weak  from  exhaustion  and  ill  health.  He  rode 
the  mule  to  near  Vicksburg  and  then  gave  it  to  Arthur  Roise, 
of  Company  D,  who  drove  it  to  a  cart. 

The  regiment  remained  a  month  atVicksburg,  and  then 
the  army  was  loaded  on  the  transpoii:  Baltic  and  taken  to 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA.  123 

New  Orleans.  They  next  embarked  by  way  of  the  Gulf  to 
Texas,  and  landed  on  Mustang  Island,  70  miles  from  Mata- 
gorda Bay.  On  the  29th  the  regiment  went  on  an  expedition 
against  Fort  Esperanza.  The  enemy,  on  their  approach, 
blew  up  their  magazine  and  tied  the  town.  On  December 
2d  the  regiment  went  into  camp  at  De  Cruz's,  on  the 
peninsula. 

On  January  2,  1864,  the  regiment,  with  the  division, 
was  taken  on  board  the  steamer  Matamoras  and  landed  at 
Old  Indianola,  up  the  bay  about  40  miles,  where  they  spent 
the  winter.  Here  the  First  and  Second  brigades  were  con- 
solidated and  formed  the  First  Brigade  of  the  First 
Division. 

In  the  meantime  Colonel  Stone  had  recovered  from 
his  wound,  and  returned  to  his  command  a  short  time  before 
rlackson  capitulated. 

While  the  ai'my  was  at  Vicksburg,  Colonel  Stone  was 
elected  Governor  of  Iowa,  and  here  he  took  final  leave  of 
Ins  command. 

While  stationed  at  Old  Indianola,  a  squad  of  the  regi- 
ment encountered  a  full  company  of  mounted  Texan 
Rangers.  A  desperate  fight  took  place,  about  15  miles  from 
camp.  There  were  over  100  of  the  Rangere,  and  about  25 
of  the  regiment.  The  squad  held  them  at  bay  for  several 
hours,  but  were  finally  surrounded,  when  they  surrendered. 
Among  tho-se  who  were  captured  were  John  Flemming  and 
Wm.  Bechtel,  of  Company  A;  Philip  Hertzer,  of  Company 
D;  Gabriel  Hottman,  of  Company  H;  Carl  Bedner,  of  Com- 
pany K;  and  Wm.  Franklin,  of  Company  F.  Herizer  lived 
in  Monroe  Township,  and  was  of  German  extraction.  He 
is  now  preaching  in  the  Southwest. 

In  the  spring  the  regiment  returned  to  New  Orleans, 
and  then  went  on  Banks'  Red  River  expiMiition,  nearly  as 
far  up  as  Alexandria,  and  then,  meeting  lianks  on  his  retuni, 
returned  to  New  Orleans,  crossing  the  river  at  Algiei-®. 

They  then  embarked  on  an  ocean  steamer  and  sailed 
around  Cape  Hatteras  to  Fortress  Monroe,  and  then 
ascended  the  James  River  to  Bermuda  Hundred  Landing, 
near  City  Point,  Gi-ant's  headquarters.  The  regimcnit  next 
went  into  the  rirte-pits  at  Petei-sburg,  going  into  the  Army 
of  the  Potomac.  They  remaincnJ  here  a  few  weeks  during 
July  and  August,  18G4,  and  then  returned  down  the  James, 
and  up  the  Potomac  to  ^Vashington. 


124  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

On  August  2,  1864:,  the  regiment  took  up  quarters  at 
Georgetown  Heights,  in  Marylajid,  overlooking  the  city  of 
Washington;  and  on  the  14th  took  up  a  line  of  march;  to 
join  Sheridan's  column.  The  rebel  general  Early  was 
chasing  Sheridan  down  the  Shenandoah  Valley,  and  the 
Twenty-second  Eegiment,  withthe  division  and  brigade,  w>as 
hastening  through  Drainsville,  Leesburg,  and  Hamilton, 
over  the  Kitoctan  Mountains.  The  army  marched  through 
Sneeker's  Gap,,  of  the  Blue  Ridge  Mountains,  and  at  mid- 
night arrived  at  the  Shenandoali  River  at  the  foot  of  the 
mountains.  Here  tlie  troops  waded  the  stream,  and  at 
daylight  reacbed  Berryville,  where  they  joined  Sheridan. 

While  marching  from  Berryville  towards  Harper's 
Ferry,  Horace  Judson,  Marion  Anderson,  Hugh  Sinclair, 
and  Alex  McCalian,  members  of  Company  D,  went  out  one 
dnj  on  a  foraging  tour  into  the  country.  They  met  a 
travel  jug  equipage,  consisting  of  some  women,  a  load  of 
furniture  or  two,  aud  a  negro  driver.  They  halted  the 
cart  and  began  to  inspect  the  cargo.  A  tightly  corked 
barrel  aroused  the  interest  ol  ttie  boj^s,  and  McCahan 
made  a  %igorous  attempt  to  punch  a  hole  in  the  head 
with  his  bayonet.  Tt  was  a  slow  process,  and  Judson, 
growing  impatient,  shouted  to  McCahan  tO'  stand  to  one 
side.  He  di(i  so.  and  Judson,  raising  his  Enfield  ritie,  blazed 
away  at  the  head  el  the  barrel.  A  tiny  stream  of  whisky 
began  to  trickle  out  at  the  bullet-hole,  but  it  did  mot  come 
out  fast  enough.  Judson  raised  his  gun  again  and  sent 
another  ball  through  the  barrel-head  near  the  upper  edge. 
]McCahan  says  that  now  a  beautiful  stream  spurted  out  in 
the  fonn  of  a  golden  rainbow.  Tlie  boys  held  their  canteens 
and  filled  them  with  tlie  precious  fluid,  and  then  reverently 
plugged  up  the  holes,  so  that  no  more  of  the  liquor  could  be 
lost,  and  allowed  the  cart  to  proceed. 

On  the  morning  of  the  21st  of  August  the  army  went 
into  a  position  along  the  bluffs  of  the  Potomac.  The  left 
rested  on  the  river  and  the  right  extended  to  the  foot  of  the 
Blue  Ridge.  The  Twenty-second  Iowa  was  stationed  near 
the  center.  The  enemy  made  an  assault,  and,  after  several 
days'  skirmishing,  fell  back  to  Bunker's  Hill  on  the  27th. 
On  September  .3d  Sheridan  ordered  the  Eighth  and  Nine- 
teenth Corps,  which  latter  now  included  the  Second  Brigade, 
to  march toBerryville,wherealargerebelforcewas  massing. 
The  Eighth  Corps  was  attacked  in  the  evening,  by  the  enemy, 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY.  IOWA.  125 

near  Berrj-ville,  but  drove  (he  re-bcls  back.  The  Second 
T?rio:ade  occupied  a  position  on  tlie  rig'lit  of  the  Eijj^hth  Corps. 
In  tliis  position  the  forces  skirmished  until  midnijiht,  when 
they  hiy  down  in  a  drenchinj^  rain  to  rest  until  daylight. 
On  the  arrival  of  daylight  the  enemy  ri^ired  to  their  fortifi- 
cations on  the  Opequan. 

The  army,  having  now  thrown  up  a  line  of  works,  re- 
mained until  the  18th;  and  on  the  li)th,  at  about  2  o'clock 
in  the  moraing,  began  its  march  on  Winchester.  The 
Sixtli  Coi-ps  wfis  on  the  right,  the  Nineteenth  in  the  center, 
and  the  Einfhth  on  the  left,  as  the  army  advanced.  At 
about  daylig-ht  the  cavalry  forming  the  advance  guard  en- 
countered tlie  enemy  and  drove  in  liis  jtickets;  and  at  about 
0  o'clock  the  Nineteenth  Corps  ai-rived  ajid  formed  a  line 
of  battle  on  a  range  of  hills  about  a  mile  from  the  Opequan 
and  facing  the  enemy.  Wliile  the  line  was  forming,  it  was 
shelled  by  the  enemy's  batteries  for  a  short  time;  then  a 
silence  fell  along  the  line  like  a  calm  before  the  opening  of 
a  tempest.  Presently  the  command  "Forward  I"  was  given, 
and  the  army  moved  forward  to  tlie  attack.  The  Twenty- 
second  Iowa  was  on  the  left  of  the  brigade,  and  the  brigade 
itself  was  on  the  extreme  left  of  the  Nineteenth  Corps.  The 
enemy  was  in  a  heavy  belt  of  timber  and  about  a  mile  of 
open  field  intervened  between  the  two  hostile  armies.  As 
the  Union  army  advanced,  they  were  met  by  a  volley  of 
artillery,  and  when  Avithin  about  500  yards  of  the  enemy's 
line  the  latter  poured  in  a  deadly  stream  of  grape  and 
canister.  The  Twenty-second  Iowa,  with  a  yell,  dashed 
forward  on  the  double-quick  and  gained  a  stone  wall  within 
100  yards  of  the  enemy,  where  they  made  a  stand  for  an 
hour.  The  Sixth  Corps,  which  was  at  the  left  of  the  regi- 
ment, began  to  fall  back;  and  then,  ais  they  were  pursue<l 
by  the  enemy  in  their  retreat,  the  Twenty-second  broke  and 
was  forced  back  by  the  enemy.  C.cneral  Grover  finally 
succeeded  in  i*e-forming  his  men,  and.  charging  the  rebels, 
drove  them  back  at  all  points. 

The  action  of  the  Twenty-second  Iowa  Infantry  at  the 
battle  of  Winchester  furnishes  one  of  the  most  gallant  and 
intrepid  exploits  of  the  war.  \Vniile  the  T^nion  forces  were 
being  pushed  back,  the  regiment  rallied  under  a  withering 
fire  of  the  enemy  and  completely  routed  them.  In  this 
great  battle  the  Twenty-second  Iowa  lost  100  men.  killed, 
woundetl,  and  missing. 


126  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

On  the  20th,  after  driving  the  rebels  through  Winchester 
and  on  to  Fisher's  Hill,  the  rebels  made  a  strong  stand  at 
the  latter  place,  and  the  pursuing  Union  column  attacked 
them  on  the  22d.  The  Twenty-second  and  Twenty-eighth 
Iowa  were  ordered  to  attack  the  enemy's  rifle-pits  on  the 
heights  in  front  of  Fisher's  Hill.  They  drove  in  the  enemy's 
skirmishers  about  4  o'clock;  then  these  two  regiments,  with 
the  One  Hundred  and  Twenty-eighth  New  York,  charged 
on  the  enemy's  line  and  drove  it  back  at  all  points.  In  this 
fight  the  regiment  lost  but  4  men. 

It  was  now  dark,  but  the  Twenty-second  Iowa  and  its 
invincible  fighting  mate,  the  Eleventh  Indiana,  followed  up 
the  retreating  foe  to  Woodstock,  a  distance  of  15  miles  from 
Fisher's  Hill.  All  night  long  these  two  regiments  kept  up 
a  skirmishing  fire  on  the  retreating  enemy,  and  succeeded 
in  capturing  several  hundred  prisoners.  While  encounter- 
ing the  enemy's  rear  guard,  the  latter  opened  with  a  volley 
of  artillery  and  several  of  the  regiment  were  killed.  The 
latter  pomred  in  several  volleys  of  musketry,  when  the 
enemy  broke  in  disorder.  For  several  days  the  victorious 
Union  force  harassed  the  retreating  enemy,  and  then 
occupied  Harrisburg  until  the  6th  of  October. 

Sheridan  now  fell  back  to  Cedar  Creek.  Here  the  army 
was  disposed  as  follows:  the  Eighth  Corps  occupied  the 
left,  resting  on  the  north  fork  of  the  Shenandoah ;  the  Nine- 
teenth Corps  was  placed  in  the  center,  and  the  Sixth  Corps 
on  the  extreme  right ;  the  line  forming  a  semicircle.  On  the 
13th  the  enemy  assaulted  the  Eighth  and  Nineteenth  Corps' 
pickets.  The  Twenty-second  Iowa  and  the  Thirteenth 
Connecticut  then  assaulted  the  enemy,  but  the  latter  fell 
back  without  responding. 

During  the  night  the  enemy  withdrew  to  the  defense 
of  Fisher's  Hill.  On  the  morning  of  the  19th  the  Eighth 
Corps  was  attacked  by  the  enemy  and  driven  from  their 
position,  and  to  the  rear  of  the  Sixth  and  Nineteenth  Corps. 

The  Twenty-second  Iowa  cut  loose  from  the  brigade 
to  save  a  battery,  but  when  it  had  advanced  to  within  200 
yards  the  rebels  had  taken  the  battery,  and  the  regiment 
fell  back  to  the  brigade. 

The  army  then  began  to  fall  ba^ck  towards  Winchester, 
when  that  familiar  episode  of  the  campaign  occurred,  in 
which  Sheridan  met  the  retreating  army,  and,  re-forming 
the   men,   drove   back   the   enemy,   and,    largely   through 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA.  127 

Grover's  Nineteenth  Corps,  achieved  a  memorable  victory. 
The  enemy  were  dnven  through  their  camp  and  over  Cedar 
Creek,  and  thousands  of  their  number  were  captured  along 
with  their  train  of  artillery, 

Ln  this  engagement  the  regiment  lost  77  men,  killed, 
wounded,  and  missing. 

On  the  20th  the  regiment  was  sent  up  the  Blue  Ridge, 
over  tiie  trail  of  Early's  retreat.  The  route  was  thickly 
strewn  with  guns  and  accouterments.  The  regiment  then 
returned  to  camp  at  Cedar  Creek  until  the  9th  of  November, 
when  it  went  into  winter  quarters  at  Winchester. 

On  emerging  from  winter  quai'ters,  the  regiment  went 
by  rail  to  Baltimore,  and  from  thence  by  ocean  steamer  to 
Savannah,  Ga.,  where  the  regiment  was  mustered  out. 

At  the  battles  of  Winchester  and  Fisher's  Hill  there 
were  wounded  in  Company  D:  Joseph  H.  Holbrook,  arm 
and  leg  shot  off;  Wm.  C.  Wilson,  both  thighs  severely  in- 
jured; Geo.  Lefever,  right  foot  injured;  Jas.  H.  Van  Pelt, 
severely  injured  in  head  and  leg.  Henry  C.  Kritzer  and 
Clias.  H.  Stephenson  were  taken  prisoners. 

At  Cedar  Creek  there  were  wounded  in  Company  D 
Samuel  Byerly,  wounded  in  abdomen  mortally  (since  died) 
James  Moore,  severely  wounded  in  hip;  W.  W.  Cook,  badlv 
wounded  in  hip.     Sam'l   K.   Conley,   Joel   H.   Webb,   and 
Calvin  H.  Bray  were  taken  prisoners. 

At  Vicksburg  there  were  killed  in  Company  D:  Corpo- 
ral Nathaniel  G.  Teas,  Jas.  A.  Eshom,  Chester  W.  Farrar, 
Ezra  L.  Anderson,  Samuel  Byerly,  Abner  Barnard,  Elmer 
Drummond,  Hezekiah  Drummoud,  Jas.  Lindsey,  Geo.  W. 
Lefever,  Geo.  H.  Miller,  Geo.  W.  Maiden,  John  A.  Robb,  and 
David  H.  Willey.  The  wounded  in  (3omj)any  D  were:  Geo. 
W.  Buchanan,  wounded  slightly  in  the  head ;  Munsen  L.  Clem- 
mons,  wounded  slightly  in  the  thigh;  Jacob  D.  Mock, 
woundtMi  slightly  in  the  foot;  C.  T.  McConnell,  wounded 
in  the  jaw';  Jacob  S.  Ray,  wounded  in  chest  and  ann;  Thos. 
B.  Tate,  severely  wounded  in  left  anklc^;  Ferdinand  Wood, 
slightly  wounded  in  elbow. 

Tn  February,  18G3,  while  the  regiment  was  marching 
from  White  Plains,  Mo.,  to  Iron  Mountain,  it  passed  by  a 
squalid  hut  in  the  timber.  Alex  McOahan  says  it  was  the 
most  woebegone  habitation  he  ever  saw.  The  house  con- 
tained a  man,  his  wife,  and  several  small  children;  all  were 
nearly  naked,  and  appeared  half  starved.     The  man's  name 


128  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

Avas  Calvin  Bray.  He  came  to  the  fence  and  asked  per- 
mission to  enlist.  He  stated  tliat  lie  could  not  live  any 
longer  where  he  was  located,  and  that  he  might  as  well  go 
along  with  the  regiment.  He  was  taken  into  Company  D, 
and,  after  drawing  bis  first  pay,  sent  it  to  his  family  and 
had  them  removed  to  some  point  of  safety.  He  went 
through  the  war  and  was  taken  prisoner  at  Cedar  Creek, 
On  his  release  he  rejoined  the  regiment,  and  on  the  5th  of 
April,  1865,  died  at  St.  Louis,  of  diarrhea.  He  was  return- 
ing north  to  meet  his  family  at  Rolla,  Mo. 


nifiTORY  OF   MONROE  C0(INTY,  IOWA. 


120 


C,  IS.  6i  o.  DEPOT,  ALBIA,  IOWA. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

Railroads. 

Monroe  (.'ouuty  has  six  laihoads  traversinj?  her  do- 
main— namely,  the  Chicago.  lUirlington  &  Quincy  Kail- 
way,  the  Albia,  Knoxville  iS:  Ues  Moines  Kaihvay  (a  l>ranch 
of  the  C,  B.  &  Q.),  the  Iowa  Central,  the  Centerville,  Moravia 
iV:  Albia  Kaihvay,  the  Chieajio,  Milwaukee  &  Si.  Panl  Hail 
way,  and  the  Wabash  (now  defunct). 

IMans  for  securing  railroads  for  Albia  were  projected 
as  early  as  1805.  when  the  Chicago^  liurlington  &  (iuiucy 
Railway  Company,  or  the  IJurlington  &  Missouri  Kaihvay 
Company,  as  it  was  then  called,  ])r:)posed  to  extend  their 
line  westward  from  Ottumwa  to  Albia  and  Chariton. 

The  company  wanted  Monroe  and  Lucas  counties  to 
raise  >i:i 00,000  to  s<'cure  the  road,  threatening  to  locale  the 
line  through  some  other  territory  if  that  amount  was  not 
guaranteed. 

The  people  of  ^fonroe  County  granted  the  right  of  way, 

9 


130  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  WW  A. 

depot  o-rounds  at  Albia,  and  took  about  |14,000  of  the  com- 
pauy's  stock,  which  was  afterwards  bought  up  by  Perkins 
and  other  officers  of  the  company  at  from  15  cents  to  20  cents 
on  the  dollar. 

The  C,  B.  &  Q.  traverses  the  entire  portion  of  Monroe 
County  from  east  to  west,  a  distance  of  a  little  more  than  27 
miles,  and  its  assessed  valuation  per  mile,  in  189(5,  was 
112,570,  or  a  total  value  of  |349,G47. 

At  about  the  same  time  that  the  C,  B.  &  Q.  Railroad 
was  secured  to  Monroe  County,  a  scheme  was  put  on  foot  to 
secure  a  noi-th-and-south  outlet  by  means  of  the  Iowa  Cen- 
tral and  the  Northern  Missouri  roads,  which  latter  had  ex- 
isted on  paper  for  some  years  previous. 

About  flOO.OOO  was  subscribed  to  secure  the  Iowa 
Central  from  the  Mahaska  County  line  down  to  Albia,  its 
southern  terminus.  The  road  was  completed  to  Albia  in 
1871,  and  then  the  people  of  the  county  conceived  a  plan  to 
have  a  continuous  line  from  the  far  North  down  to  the  Gulf 
States,  by  reviving  the  plans  for  the  construction  of  the 
North  Missouri  Railroad,  which  had  for  a  few  years  lain 
dormant. 

General  Drake,  of  Center ville,  proposed  to  build  a  road 
from  Center  ville  north  to  Albia,  and  thus  connect  the  Iowa 
Central  with  the  M.,  I.  &  N.,  a  road  of  which  he  was  then 
president,  and  which  belonged  to  the  Wabash  System.  He 
assured  the  people  of  INIonroe  County  that  the  road  would 
be  extended  on  to  Des  Moines  in  a  year  or  more  from  the  date 
of  its  completion  to  Albia,  if  Monroe  County  would  vote  a 
tax  for  its  construction.  This  tax  was  to  amount  to  the  sum 
of  f 20,000;  and  about  |0,000  additional  was  subscribed  to 
buy  the  right  of  way.  The  tax  of  |20,000  was  levied  in  Mon- 
roe and  Troy  townships,  the  people  voted  to  be  thus  taxed, 
and  the  road  was  built. 

To  forestall  the  scheme  of  the  Wabash  folks,  the  C,  B. 
&  Q.  constructed  a  spur  from  Albia  to  Moravia.  They  in- 
tended to  push  the  road  to  Centerville,  and  to  some  point 
farther  south;  but  when  the  Wabash  people  completed  the 
Centerville,  Moravia  &  Albia  Railway,  the  "Q."  abandoned 
the  scheme  and  permitted  their  spur  to  terminate  at  Moravia. 
This  spur  was  to  have  been  a  continuation  of  the  Albia, 
Knoxville  &  Des  Moines  spur,  just  completed. 

The  contract  for  building  the  C,  M.  &  A.  Railroad  was 
let  to  Kennedy  &  Flemming,  and  work  began  in  March,  1880. 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA.  \^\ 

On  begiiminf;  thoir  work,  Kennedy  &  Fleniniing  morrgaged 
the  loiul-bed  to  the  Faimei's'  Loan  and  Trust  ConipauA',  of 
New  York,  to  secure  a  h)an  of  |4()0,0U0.  Tlicse  contractors 
faik'd  in  1880,  with  liabilities  amounting  to  |12,000.  Center- 
ville  people  held  most  of  the  claims  against  the  construction 
company.  The  C,  M.  &  A.  Company  was  liable  to  the  con- 
struction company  to  the  extent  of  its  indebtedness,  in  the 
sum  of  four  or  five  thousand  dollars.  Kennedy  refused  to 
pay  his  laborers,  with  the  excuse  that  the  measurements 
were  incorrect.  General  Drake  proposed  that  a  re-measure- 
iiu'nt  be  made,  and  that  Kennedy  accompany  the  engineer. 
This  was  agreed  to,  but  that  night  Kennedy  &  Company 
skipped  for  parts  unknown.  Many  of  Kennedy's  creditors 
were  Monroe  County  farmers  living  along  the  route,  who 
had  iMM'forraed  labor  and  supplied  provisions  to  the  con- 
struction company.  It  is  also  asserted  that  some  of  these 
farmers  made  an  arrangement  with  Kennedy  &  Company  to 
perform  labor  in  payment  of  the  tax  which  they  voted  to  the 
aid  of  the  C,  M,  &  A.  Company,  and  that  no  credit  was  en- 
tered in  their  favor  when  the  tax  was  collected. 

The  M.,  I.  &  N.  began  running  trains  into  Albia.  in  Au- 
gust, 1880,  but  for  several  j^ears  since  its  completion  it  did 
!n>t  tiourish.  For  several  years  it  has  only  been  operated  be- 
tween Albia  and  Ceuterville,  having  abandoned  its  track 
between  Albia  and  Harvey,  its  junctional  point  on  the 
Wabash.  The  road  at  present  is  operated  in  conjunction 
with  the  Central,  and,  in  addition  to  a  good  freight  traffic,  is 
giving  the  public  good  passenger  service,  with  two  trains 
each  way  daily.  Its  length  in  Monroe  County  is  11  miles, 
and  its  assessed  valuation  per  mile,  in  1896,  was  |12,000,  or  the 
total  value  of  the  road  within  Monroe  County  was  fixed  at 
:$22,000.  General  Drake  is  president  of  the  road,  and  Kussell 
Sage,  of  New  York,  is  vice-president.  Sage  is  president  of  the 
Iowa  Central  also. 

The  Chicago,  Burlington  &  Quincy  spur  from  Albia  to 
Moravia,  herein  referred  to  as  being  abandoned,  ceased  to 
operate  its  line,  a  few  years  after  its  completicm,  and  it  is 
doubtful  if  th(^  road  will  ever  be  rehabilitated.  For  this 
reas'^)n  it  and  the  defunct  ^\'abash  are  not  sliown  on  the  map. 
Tt  was  originally  known  as  the  ^loulton  &  Albia  Railway, 
and  its  length  from  Albia  to  Moravia  is  14  miles.  In  180r)  its 
assessed  valuation  p»M-  mile  was  ^500.  At  present  the  road- 
bed has  reverted  to  the  original  property  holders,  over  whose 
lands  the  line  lay. 


132  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

The  abandoned  Wabash  track  between  Albia  and  Har- 
vey, which  is  known  in  the  railway  directory  as  the  Wabash, 
Des  Moines  &  St,  Louis  Railway,  has  11  miles  of  track  in 
Monroe  County,  and  its  assessed  valuation  per  mile  is  $2,500. 
Its  title  has  not  yet  lapsed  by  failure  of  the  company  to  oper- 
ate the  line  within  the  time  fixed  by  law. 

The  Kansas  City  Division  of  the  Chicago,  Milwaukee  & 
St.  Paul  Railway  traverses  the  southern  portion  of  Monroe 
County  from  east  to  west.  It  has  10  miles  of  track  within 
the  county,  which  in  1896  was  assessed  at  a  valuation  of 
|4.00(>  per  mile.  Tt  fjasses  within  9  miles  of  Albia,  and  at 
Moravia  it  has  transfer  facilities  with  the  C,  M.  &  A.  Rail- 
way. It  was  built  in  the  summer  of  1886,  and  has  a  large 
coal-carrying  trade,  besides  good  passenger  traffic. 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA.  133 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

The  Press. 

The  clinrch,  the  school-house,  and  the  local  press  may  be 
justly  termed  the  "lioly  trinity"  under  whose  watchful  eye 
civilization  is  oradually  lifted  to  a  higher  plane.  While  they 
are  of  equal  potency  as  civilizing  ajjents,  it  is  indeed  strange 
that  the  country  newspapers  should  not  be  maintained  by 
the  public,  the  same  as  the  public  school  system.  Instead  of 
these  twin  offspring  sharing  the  same  patrimony,  the  press, 
like  Ishmael.  is  an  outcast  from  the  parental  bosom. 

While  the  country  publisher  should  be,  and  invariably 
is,  the  best  and  smartest  man  in  the  community,  he  is  per- 
mitted to  exist  merely  through  sufferance.  Nobody  loves 
him,  and  yet  tlirough  his  paper  he  is  expected  to  love  every- 
body. He  is  not  regarded  as  a  fellow-creature,  liable  to 
error,  or  to  the  ])eriodical  demand  for  alimentary  sustenance. 
He  must  be  "without  spot  or  wrinkle''  in  the  eyes  of  the  ex- 
acting iiublic.  He  is  not  an  individual,  but  an  ''institution." 
His  real  worth  is  never  realized  until  his  form  is  locked  in 
the  chaste  form  of  death.  Then  his  funeral  is  celebrated 
with  great  festivity  and  pomp.  The  funeral  procession  is  as 
long  as  that  of  the  wealthiest  citizen  in  the  village.  His 
rival  ])ublisher  writes  a  lengthy  obituary  notice,  extolling 
his  many  virtues,  praising  his  worth  as  a  citizen,  father, 
husband,  and  friend,  and  winds  up  with  a  peroration  to  the 
effect  that  the  loss  to  the  community,  of  the  late  lamented,  is 
one  which  time  cannot  fully  repair.  To  publish  even  a  coun- 
try newspaper  requires  a  high  degree  of  talent,  which  in  any 
other  public  channel  would  command  a  handsome  salary, 
but  the  unappreciative  public  is  insensible  of  the  sacrifice. 

The  tirst  paper  eslal)lished  in  Monroe  County  was  called 
the  Alh'ia  htdependnit  Press.  It  was  edited  and  ])ublished  by 
A.  C.  Barnes,  the  falhei'  of  the  i)resent  proprietor  of  the 
Alhifi  I  iiion.  The  paj)er,  which  first  made  its  a])p<'arance 
October  10, 1S54,  was  indejiendent  in  its  political  views,  as  it 
so  stated.  Yet  it  now  and  then  exhibited  a  decided  leaning 
towards  the  new  Abolitionist  ])arty,  which  had  not  yet  be- 
gun to  gather  to  itself  much  popularity.  In  the  issue  of  the 
Independent  Press  of  September  20,  1855,  the  publisher  has 
this  to  say  of  slavery: 


134  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY.  IOWA. 

"We  have  never  deemed  it  our  calling  or  duty  to  say 
much  about  slavery,  though  we  have  ever  regarded  it  as  an 
unavoidable  evil  to  both  master  and  slave,  in  the  original 
slave  States.  But  if  slavery  had  not  been  extended  and  was 
not  now  being  extended  over  the  limits  where  it  was  when  the 
Union  was  formed,  we  would  probably  scarcely  ever  speak 
or  think  of  it,  and  we  have  hoped  long  since  that  its  agita- 
tion would  cease.  When  it  had  nearly  ceased,  after  the  pas- 
sage of  the  fugitive  slave  act,  the  patriots  who  had  abhorred 
some  features  of  that  act  had  smothered  their  feelings  of 
opposition  and  were  quiet.  Soon  again  pro-slavery  men 
opened  afresh  the  agitation  by  their  efforts  to  extend  the 
area  of  slavery.  We  did  not  object  to  the  slave-owner  with 
a  posse  from  a  slave  State  taking  the  fugitive  slave  back,  but 
we  do  object  to  being  made  a  party  to  assist  him  by  com- 
pulsory laws,  and  then  again  a  party  to  assist  in  procuring 
new  slave  territory,  and  not  allowed  to  desist  nor  not  al- 
lowed to  say  one  word  on  pain  of  being  called  an  abolition- 
ist, and  charged  with  endangering  the  Union.  Nor  will  we 
consent  to  being  gagged  on  any  account.  We  would  check 
fanaticism  on  the  subject  of  slavery  as  we  would  on  every 
other  subject,  and  still  preserve  and  defend  the  liberty  of 
speech  and  the  rights  of  conscience." 

In  the  same  issue  were  the  minutes  of  the  Agricultural 
Society.  Jas.  B.  Turner,  E.  P.  Cone,  and  John  Phillips  were 
the  committee  to  award  premiums  on  ox-bows  made  within 
the  county;  Robt.  Saunders,  E.  M.  Moore,  and  Jas.  B.  Turner 
were  the  committee  on  jacks  and  mules;  and  Wm.  Robinson, 
Hillah  Hayes,  and  Andrew  Trussell  the  committee  on  stal- 
lions and  brood-mares. 

There  was  also  a  paragraph  giving  a  statement  of  the 
electoral  vote  for  President  in  the  approaching  election  of 
1S5G.  The  fifteen  Southern  States  showed  120  votes,  and  the 
Northern  States  176  votes  in  the  electoral  college. 

The  Press  hoisted  the  standard  of  Fremont  and  Dayton, 
notwithstanding  its  former  non-partisan  professions,  and  in 
the  November  election  the  county  gave  Erdmont  022  votes 
and  Buchanan  608. 

In  another  issue  is  given  the  schedule  rates  for  hauling, 
as  fixed  by  the  Teamsters'  Association  of  Albia,  as  follows: 

River  hauling,  per  hundred |1.5r 

Hauling  by  the  day 3.00 

Hauling  by  the  load,  in  town 30 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY.  IOWA.  135 

Ilauliuji,  from  l^lielps'  mill fO.75 

Haiiliny  from  Uabbs'  mill 50 

llaulinp,-  from  Kaslc.v's  mill 2.r)() 

Hauliii«j  from  Saaj)  Creek  mill '{.OO 

Hanlinu'  from  lii-emcn  mill '2.'}{) 

Haiilinu"  frimi  lilakesburji  mill ^l.OO 

llniiliiiji'  lime  from  Jiidscm's 2.7.") 

Another  interesting  <'ommnni(iilion  to  the  Press  of 
July  1*,  ISoC,  is  the  report  of  the  Democi-atic  convention  of 
TrbaJia  Townt;hip.    Followinjj:  is  the  report,  rcrhatini: 

"The  meetinji:  was  orp;anize(l  b\  callin«>-  Lewis  Arnold 
to  the  chair,  and  II.  B.  Arnold  acted  as  secretary.  Our  able 
and  indefati«iable  prosecuting  attorney,  T,  li,  Terry,  being 
present,  addressed  the  meeting  in  defense  of  Democratic 
j)rinciples,  lie  spoke  warmly. of  the  action  of  the  Democracy' 
at  (Mncinnati,  and  congratulated  the  Democratic  party  upon 
the  nomination  of  such  men  as  IJuchanan  and  Breckiiiridge. 
His  remarks  were  duly  appreciated  by  all  present. 

"On  motion,  15  delegates  were  appointed  to  attend  the 
convention  at  Albia;  viz.,  (leorge  Heading.  M.  S.  Mc  A  lister, 
(f.  K.  Halliday,  C.  O.  Vancleve,  Doster  Noland,  K.  K.  Stoops, 
•las.  ( roiKlman.  W.  T.  Barnhill,  Nimrod  Martin.  Jas.  Mclntyre, 
Joseph  Cakhvell,  John  Hawk,  Levi  Herod,  and  Win.  Dale. 

"Ordered,  that  wliere  delegates  fail  to  attend,  any  dele- 
gate of  the  township  may  act  as  a  substitute,  or  the  delegates 
present  to  cast  the  full  vote. 

"On  motion  of  Geo.  K.  Robinson,  Esq.,  a  committee  of 
five  w<'re  appointed  to  draft  resolutions  expressive  of  the 
sense  of  the  meeting.  The  chair  appointed  Geo.  K.  Robinson, 
John  Hawk,  W.  P.  Wilson,  R.  li.  Arnold,  and  Fountain  Ken- 
nedy said  committee. 

''The  committee  reported  the  resolutions  :is  appended, 
which  were  unanimously  adopted. 

"h'r.sohrd.  That  the  proceedings  of  this  meeting  be  pub- 
lished in  the  Keokuk  Weekly  Times  and  the  Alh'ui  Tndepcndent 
Press. 

"ir//f777/\.  The  i)resent  ]»olitical  excitement  and  the 
threatened  dismemberment  of  oui-  glorious  confederacy  de- 
mand of  every  friend  of  constitutional  liberty  an  open  and 
outspoken  expression  of  si'utiments,  expressive  of  the  in- 
terest felt  in  the  ])erpetuatii>n  and  (extension  of  our  incompar- 
able institutions,  and  thoroughly  convinced  as  we  are.  and 
ever  have  been,  of  the  truth  and  justice  of  tlie  Democratic 
cause — cherishing, as  we  have  evci-  done. an  unwavciing  faith 


136  niSTORT  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

in  the  honesty,  integrity,  and  intelligence  of  the  American 
people — we  have  never  entertained  a  doubt  of  the  final 
triumph  and  ultimate  success  of  the  principles  of  that  party. 

"Resolved,  That  we  cordially  endorse  the  action  of  the 
Democratic  national  convention  at  CMncinnati — that  we  will 
give  'a  pull,  a  long  pull,  and  a  pull  all  together'  for  the  nomi- 
nees of  that  convention. 

"Resolved,  That  in  the  persons  of  Jas.  Buchanan  and 
John  C.  Breckinridge,  of  Kentucky,  we  have  statesmen  of 
the  highest  order,  tried  and  experienced  in  home  and  foreign 
policy,  gentlemen  whose  character  cannot  be  reached  by  the 
foul  shafts  of  abolition  calumny. 

"Resolved,  That  we  deprecate  all  attempts  to  agitate  the 
slavery  question  or  any  other  sectional  issue  which  tends  to 
alienate  the  affections  of  the  people,  and  draw  one  section  of 
the  people  against  the  other. 

"Resolved,  That  we  approve  most  heartily  the  course  of 
our  talented  and  energetic  representatives  in  Congress, 
Messrs.  Jones  and  Hall,  for  so  nobly  sustaining  Democratic 
principles  and  securing  to  Iowa  the  grant  of  land  to  aid  the 
construction  of  her  railroads;  and  Ave  feel  a  sense  of  humilia- 
tion at  the  conduct,  speeches,  and  sentiments  of  Messrs.  Har- 
lan and  company — exponents  alike  of  the  principle  of  'Sam' 
and  'Sambo.' 

"Resolved,  That  we  duly  appreciate  the  motives  of  the 
patriotic  Clay  and  Webster  Whigs,  who,  like  Preston  and 
Marshall  of  Kentucky,  Toombs  and  Stephens  of  Georgia,  and 
lienjamin  of  Louisiana,  and  others,  have  joined  the  Democ- 
racy and  are  battling  for  those  principles  on  which  the 
fathers  of  the  Republic  based  our  social  fabric. 

"Resolved,  That  we  have  no  feeling  of  respect  for  those 
who  affiliate  with  that  class  of  politicians  who  recognize  a 
'Mgher  law'  and  who  recommend  as  a  code  of  morals,  '^Sharp's 
rifles  and  the  resistance  of  law  unto  a  bloody  issue.' 

"Resolred,  That  we*  abide  by  the  decision  of  the  Albia 
convention  to  be  holden  on  the  5th  of  July,  and  hereby 
pledge  a  hearty  support  to  the  nominees.  Our  motto  is. 
'Principles,  not  Men.'  In  the  language  of  Buchanan,  'Men 
are  hut  the  creatures  of  a  day.     Principles  are  eternal.' 

"The  meeting  adjourned,  cherishing  the  belief  that  the 
country  and  State  would  give  handsome  majorities  for  the 
Democracy  in  August  and  November. 

''Lewis  Arnold,  Chairman.  R.  B.  Arnold,  Secretary. 

"Avery,  Monroe  Co.,  June  28,  185fi." 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA.  137 

The  Independent  Press  then  refutes  a  prevalent  rumor 
that  John  C.  Fremont  is  a  slave-owner,  by  [)ublishing  some 
(correspondence  between  Daniel  F,  Miller,  the  Whig  member 
of  Congress  from  the  First  District,  of  which  Monroe  County 
Avas  then  a  i)art,  and  Horace  Greeley.  Miller  writes  to 
(Ireeley  stating  tluit  the  Democrats  were  making  the  charge 
that  Fremont  owned  twenty-three  slaves  held  in  servitude 
in  the  South.  He  re<iuests  Greeley  to  ascertain  from 
Fremont  whether  the  charge  is  true  or  not;  and  Greeley 
replies  in  part  as  follows: 

"Well,  Friend  Miller, — What  would  you  have  us  do 
in  the  premises?  The  report  is  false — an  inexcusable,  un- 
mitigated lie — w^e  have  authority  for  so  reporting  it.     *     * 

"Col.  Fremont  is  not  a  slave-holder;  but  suppose  he 
were — what  of  it?  Do  not  you  and  I  recognize  the  right  to 
hold  slaves  in  slave  States?  Have  we  not  repeatedly  voted 
for  slave-holders  whom  Ave  knew  to  be  right  on  the  great 
issues  at  stake?  Is  it  not  quite  likely  that  we  may  do  so 
again?  Read  the  letter  of  Adam  Beatty  published  in  your 
last,  and  say  whether  you  would  not  far  sooner  support 
him  for  President,  avowed  slave-holder  as  he  is,  than  any 
'Dough-face'  in  America?  Would  you  not  rather  vote  for 
Breckinridge  than  for  Buchanan?  *  *  *  But  suppose 
you  run  this  particular  lie  into  the  grouhd,  you  will  have 
accomplished  nothing,  while  the  spirit  which  prompted  its 
fabrication  remains  in  existence.  Next  day  you  will  be 
told  tliat  Fremont  is  a  Catholic;  and,  though  this  is  as 
false  as  the  other,  it  will  be  easy  for  Hookem  Snivey  to  assert 
that  Peter  Snooks  told  him  that  he  heard  Fremont  tell  him 
he  was  a  Roman  Catholic,  or  sav\-  him  attending  mass,  or 
something  to  that  effect.  Will  you  waste  a  week  running 
down  this  lie  also,  and  then  where  are  you?" 

Among  the  display  "ads"  is  one  which  reads: 

''Heef  Hides  Wanted. — I  will  pay  the  highest  price  for 
any  dry  and  green  hides  deli v(  red  to  my  sho]>  on  the  south 
side  of  the  Scjuare,  Albia.     P.  Morgan." 

^lorgaji  afterwards  located  in  Des  Moines,  and  built 
the  Moi-gan  Hotel,  for  a  long  time  the  largest  hotel  in  the 
city. 

Mr.  Barnes,  the  publisher,  was  a  most  exeniphiry  and 
pious  ge^ntleman,  and  had  .such  a  i)articular  abhorrenc*'  to 
profanity  that  he  states  in  a  i>aragraph  that  it  shocks  him 
to  hear  boys  swearing  while  playing  on  the  streets.     He 


138  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

concludes  the  paragraph  by  stating  that  it  had  been  inti- 
mated to  him  that  his  own  boys  were  beginning  to  swear. 
He  assures  the  public  that  if  there  is  any  truth  in  the  rumor, 
he  will  be  sincerely  thankful  for  being  informed  of  it,  and 
that  he  will  not  be  offended.  Evidently  his  friendis  were  a 
little  derelict  in  reporting  any  appearing  tendencies  towards 
juvenile  profanity  in  the  case  of  little  Alpheus,  or,  at  least, 
it  would  appear  that  the  proper  corrective  had  not  been 
interposed  soon  enough. 

Mr.  Barnes,  in  the  issue  of  the  Press  of  October  17,  1855, 
administers  a  little  fatherly  advice  to  T.  B.  Perry  touching 
the  evil  of  the  young  attorney's  ways.  He  reproves  him  on 
two  counts:  one  wais  for  Mr.  Perry's  presumption  in  aspiring 
to  the  county  judgeship,  and  the  other  was  for  procuring 
whisky  ''at  the  doggery  kept  near  Bremen,  with  which  to 
promote  his  interests  in  the  campaign  just  prior  to  the 
August  election.''  The  kind-hearted  editor  states  that  Mr. 
Perry  is  still  a  young  man,  and  that  the  opportunity  is  still 
open  for  him  to  live  down  his  youthful  errors.  He  pardons 
his  offense,  but  expresfses  the  fear  that  the  young  man  is  on 
the  downward  road.  This  thrust  had  been  provoked  by  Mr. 
Perry  having  alluded  to  Mr.  Barnes  as  a  "Know-Nothing" 
in  a  speech  at  a  big  Democratic  rally  at  Albia. 

Mr,  Barnes  t-onducted  the  Press  until  the  17th  of  June, 
1857,  when  it  suspended. 

The  Weekly  Albia  Rcpuhlican  made  its  appearance 
November  5,  1857,  under  the  management  of  W,  W,  Barnes, 
a  son  of  the  pioneer  journalist  and  a  senior  brother  of  A.  R. 
Barnes,  the  present  proprietor  of  the  Alhia  Union,  and  C,  E, 
Topping,  After  running  four  months,  Topping  went  to 
Michigan  to  visit  his  relatives  and  obtain  funds  to  pay  for 
his  interest  in  the  paper.  He  never  returned;  and  Stephen 
R,  Barnes  bought  the  interest  of  his  brother  W.  W.,  and 
published  the  sheet  until  1859,  when  he  sold  the  paper  to 
Josiah  T.  Young  and  T,  B,  Gray,  Young  called  the  paper 
the  Monroe  County  Sentinel. 

The  Repuhliean  was  uncompromising  in  its  opposition 
to  the  extension  of  human  slavery.  It  made  vehement 
assaults  on  Buchanan  and  his  tardiness  or  inaction  with 
regard  to  checking  the  rapidly  advancing  crisis  of  1860-61, 
In  one  issue  the  ])ublisher  calls  upon  Congress  to  impeach 
Buchanan, 

The  Sentinel,  under  the  management  of  Messrs,  Young 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY.  IOWA.  I39 

and  Gray,  was  Doiuocratic  in  politics.     Mr.  Young  at  that 
time  wiis  a  staimch  .snpivorter  of  Stei)lien  A.  Douglas. 

The  Svtitincl,  iu  criticising  Governor  Kirkwood's  in- 
augural address,  makes  some  disparaging  comments  on  the 
Governor's  recommendation  that  a  memorial  be  presented 
to  (^ongress  praying  for  the  enactment  of  a  homestead  law. 

The  editor  of  the  -SV/f/JncZ "touches  up" his  contemporary, 
the  publisher  of  the  Iihi<h\  and  a  Republican,  by  the  caustic 
accusation  that  the  latter  openly  and  unblushingly  de- 
nounces the  fugitive  slave  law,  and  holds  that  a  citizen 
of  the  North  is  under  no  moral  or  legal  obligation  to  report 
or  intercept  runaway  negroes  frcmi  the  South.  In  speaking 
further  of  this  startling  i)ropaganda,  the  Sentinel  man  tells 
his  readers  that  it  is  whispered  that  there  are  several  men 
in  Monroe  County  who  entertain  similar  views. 

In  the  issue  of  the  Sentinel  of  Uecember  8,  1860.  Eli 
Ue  Tar  gushes  forth  in  a  poetic  strain.  The  poem  is  entitled 
"Montgomery  Taken  at  Last."  At  the  end  of  the  poem  the 
poet  somewhat  mars  the  rapture  of  the  song  by  a  sordid 
allusion  to  himself  and  the  "Big  Brick": 

'•Remember  the  place  in  the  Bij?  Brick, 
Where  I  '11  sell  cheap  for  cash. 
But  never  on  ticli!" 

In  the  Sentinel  of  May  2'),  18G1,  is  a  leading  editorial, 
called  forth  by  threats  of  niobbing  the  Sentinel  office.  The 
publisher  protests  his  loyalty  to  the  Union,  and  points  out 
the  grave  conse<iuences  liable  to  ensue  in  case  the  Sentinel 
office  or  its  publishers  should  be  molested  by  a  mob.  Mr. 
Young  by  tliis  time  had  retired  from  the  paper  as  editor, 
although  he  still  owned  it. 

In  another  issu.e  is  published  the  proceedings  of  the 
I'rbana  Township  Democracy  iu  a  meeting  assembled  to 
discu.s.s  the  war  (juestion.  The  sense  of  the  meeting  was 
that  the  only  feasible  plan  of  settling  the  momentous 
question  was  by  ])eaeeful  diplomacy;  civil  war  was  unjusti- 
fiable and  inimical  \o  constitutional  liberty  as  established 
by  our  forefathers,  etc.  While  the  iK>sition  taken  by  the 
DenuHiacy  of  I'rbana  Township  at  the  time  may  have  been 
located  on  the  extreme  limit  of  the  border  line  between 
pro-  and  anti-slavei-y,  their  jMjblic  meetings  and  utterances 
do  iw)t  indicate  an  approval  or  indorsement  of  the  secession 
movement  then  assuming  form  in  the  Southern  States.    Tliev 


140  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  WW  A. 

did  not  believe  it  was  right  for  the  South  to  withdraw  from 
the  Union,  and  at  the  same  time  they  felt  that  it  was  usur- 
pation of  power  for  the  North  to  hold  the  South  in  bonds  of 
union  against  its  wishes.  In  short,  the  Democratic  party 
of  1860-61  persisted  in  their  entreaties  to  persuade  the  South 
to  stay  in,  if  possible;  but  if  not,  then  the  Lincoln  adminis- 
tration at  Waishington  should  not  hinder  their  withdrawal 
hy  force  of  arms. 

Later  on,  the  sentiments  of  the  publishers  of  the  Sentinel 
(J.  T.  Young  and  J.  H.  Denslow,  the  latter  having  taken 
Mr.  Gray's  place)  seem  to  gradually  modify  in  behalf  of  the 
expedient  of  suppressing  the  Kebellion  by  force  of  arms.  In 
the  issue  of  the  Sentinel  of  September  28,  1861,  the  paper 
says,  in  an  editorial : 

"It  is  necessary  to  fight  for  the  country,  and  the  hotter 
the  war  the  sooner  peace.  We  have  been,  and  are  yet,  in 
favor  of  using  all  proper  means  for  the  restoration  of  the 
Union  and  preservation  of  all  our  rights  under  the  Consti- 
tution, but  would  much  rather  that  we  could  get  along  with- 
out a  bloody  war.  But  the  fortunes  of  war  are  upon  us, 
and  fight  ice  mustr 

The  Sentinel,  however,  in  commenting  on  a  prevalent 
rumor  that  the  President  and  Cabinet  had  taken  under 
advisement  the  question  of  acknowledging  the  Southern 
Confederacy,  makes  this  remark:  "Under  existing  circum- 
stances, this  is  the  best  thing  the  new  Administration  can 
do  towards  settling  our  difficulties  peaceably." 

The  columns  of  the  Sentinel  from  1860  to  1861  are 
largely  taken  up  with  reports  of  meetings  called  to  discuss 
the  war  topic.  They  are  termed  "Union  meetings,"  and 
were  participated  in  by  men  of  all  parties.  Fort  Sumter 
had  been  fired  upon.  Most  of  those  in  the  North  who  had 
hitherto  hoped  for  a  peaceful  adjustment  of  the  dispute, 
and  who  had  bitterly  censured  the  President  and  his 
Cabinet,  now  united  on  common  grounds  with  those  who 
had  espoused  the  cause  of  the  North  from  the  start.  At  one 
of  these  meetings,  April  27,  1861,  the  following  resolutions 
were  adopted : 

^'Resolved,  That  it  becomes  all  good  and  loyal  citizens 
lo  stand  b}'  the  stars  and  stripes  and  defend  our  glorious 
Hnion  against  internal  rebellion  or  other  invasion. 

"Resolved,  That  any  man  in  our  midst  who  in  any  way 


niSTORT  OF  MONROE  COUNTY.  IOWA. 


141 


(Micouragos  or  supjwrts  secessiou  or  rebellion,  or  gives  aid 
and  comfort  thereto,  is  a  traitor  and  should  be  dealt  with 
as  siu'h.  "T.  B.  Perry. 

"T.  B.  Graij:' 


Hon.  JOSlAll 


Jl      Si  Alb    Ul-     low  A. 


It  was  during  Mr.  Young's  connection  with  the  Sentinel 
that  an  editorial  appeared  in  its  columns  assuring  Governor 
Pickens,  of  South  Carolina,  whose  State  had  lately  adopted 


142  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY.  IOWA. 

a  secession  ordinance,  that  if  the  North  attempted  to  apply 
coercive  measures  towards  the  Southern  States  threatening 
secession,  a  fire  in  the  rear  would  roll  up  from  the  North 
to  harass  the  invading  Northern  army  on  its  march,  down 
to  the  scene  of  conflict.  This  utterance  became  known  as 
his  "fire-in-the-rear  speech,"  and  in  later  years,  wlien  his 
political  views  had  become  completely  changed  by  his  ex- 
perience and  observation  as  a  Union  soldier,  the  allusion 
to  the  expression  bore  with  it  a  toucli  of  humor. 

This  ''fire-in-the-rear"  utterance  is  commonly  con- 
founded with  a  letter  whicli  he  wrote  to  Governor  Pickens, 
of  South  Carolina,  at  about  the  time  that  State  was 
deliberating  on  the  question  of  going  out  of  the  Union; 
but,  as  will  be  seen  from  a  perusal  of  the  letter  itself,  no 
such  expression  occurs. 

Mr.  Young  was  a  Democrat,  and  tlie  tenor  of  his  letter 
to  Governor  Pickens  was  not  unlike  that  of  hundreds  of 
other  Democrats  within  the  county  at  that  time. 

Not  long  after,  Mr.  Young  enlisted  in  the  Union  army; 
he  made  a  good  soldier,  and  endured  the  hardships  of  a 
squalid  prison-pen  at  Tyler,  Texas.  Whatever  may  have 
been  his  position  at  one  time  concerning  the  issues  of  the 
war,  there  was  no  ampler  testimony  of  a  citizen's  loyalty 
and  devotion  to  the  cause  of  human  liberty  than  that  shown 
by  the  Union  soldier  who  carried  his  musket  at  his  side  by 
day  and  slept  upon  it  by  night. 

The  following  is  Mr.  Young's  letter  to  Governor  Pickens, 
copied  verbatim : 

"Albia,  Iowa,  Jan.  14,  1861. 
"To  His  Excellency,  Gov.  Pickens,  Charleston,  8.  C: 

'•Sir, — It  is  with  feelings  that  I  cannot  describe,  that 
impress  me  at  the  present  moment,  that  I  undertake  to  pen 
an  epistle  to  you. 

'Tardon  me  for  addressing  you,  but  I  feel  such  an 
anxiety  for  the  safety  and  perpetuity  of  our  common  country 
and  her  institutions  that  I  cannot  keep  silent.  The  first 
thing  I  wish  to  mention  is,  that  not  all  the  men  in  the  North 
who  voted  for  Mr.  Lincoln  are  abolitionists.  Quite  a  num- 
ber of  persons  within  my  own  knowledge  voted  the  Republi- 
can ticket  because  of  their  great  dislike  to  the  Administra- 
tion at  Washington.  They  wished  a  change  of  men  at  the 
head  of  affairs,  at  the  same  time  never  dreaming  that  by  so 
voting  they  were  helping  to  precipitate  the  nation  into  civil 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY.  IOWA.  143 

tomniotiou  and  confusion.  Others  voted  for  Mr.  Lincoln  be- 
cause of  the  free-farm  plank  in  his  platform,  not  caring 
whether  slavery  was  voted  up  or  down. 

"So  far,  I  have  been  talking  only  of  those  who  have  voted 
the  Kepublican  ticket.  It  is  proper  to  say  that  in  the  3'oung 
and  thriving  t^tate  of  Iowa  there  were  at  the  last  election 
nearly  sixty  thousand  votes  cast  in  o])[»osition  to  the  sec- 
tional views  and  narrow,  contracted  ideas  of  the  Lincoln 
l>arty.  In  1113-  opinion,  there  are  at  present  more  than  sixty 
thousand  men  in  the  State  wiio,  if  the  election  should  be  held 
to-moiTow.  would  vote  a  conservative  ticket  as  opposed  to 
fanaticism. 

"The  above  statements  being  facts,  is  it  fair  for  South 
Carolina  and  other  States  to  break  up  the  Union?  Is  it 
fair  for  us  to  pass  ordinances  of  secession — destroy  this 
government,  the  best  ever  made  by  human  hands,  and  leave 
thousands  of  true  and  loyal  citizens  in  the  old  deserted  edi- 
fice— citizens  always  true  to  the  Union,  and  all  the  rights  of 
ever}'  section  of  the  country,  who  have  stood  by  the  old  ship 
of  State  through  sunshine  and  through  storm? 

'^You  are,  my  dear  sir,  taking  the  right  tack  to  make 
enemies  of  those  who  were  3'our  friends.  You  do  not  offer 
the  poor  boon  offered  by  the  angels  to  Lot  in  Sodom.  You  do 
not  give  us  a  chance  to  escape  from  the  thralldom  of  Aboli- 
tion, for  you  desert  us  in  Congress,  at  a  time  when  the  pres- 
ence of  your  representatives  is  absolutely  necessary  to  pre- 
vent our  enemies  from  carrying  on  their  measure  so  destruc- 
tive to  the  peace,  happiness,  and  future  well-being  of  the 
whole  country.  Thousands  and  tens  of  thousands  of  the  peo- 
ple of  the  North  are  the  friends  of  the  South — have  con- 
tended for  their  rights  in  the  common  territories;  for  the 
execution  of  the  fugitive  slave  law  as  it  is;  for  the  right  of  the 
slave-holders  to  hold  their  negroes  as  property  in  the  slave 
States;  for  the  right  of  the  owner  to  carry  his  slave  from  one 
State  to  another,  passing  through  a  free  State  without  dan- 
ger of  losing  his  i)roperty.  Slmll  these  friends  of  yours,  who 
have  adhered  to  your  fortunes,  and  to  the  Constitution  and 
laws,  now  be  deserted  by  you  and  left  to  tight  on  amid  the 
bewildering  gloom  that  now  enshrouds  our  erstwhile  happy 
country?  No!  you  will  not  leave  us;  you  will  seek  redress 
of  all  grievances  in  the  Union  under  the  Constituticm.  There 
are  more  conservative  men  in  the  North,  your  friends,  than 
there  are  of  you,  all  told.     Yet  you  proj)ose  to  render  us  pow- 


144  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

ei'less  in  action  for  good,  by  your  secession  movement. 
Secession!  Secession!!  There  is  no  such  thing  as  peaceable 
secession,  and  the  scenes  already  being  enacted  by  your 
State  and  by  the  Government  at  Washington  prove  the 
assertion.  If  you  i^ersist  in  your  course,  you  will  destroy 
yourselves  and  us  too.  You  will  engulf  us  in  the  terrible 
maelstrom  of  civil  war;  widen  the  breach  now  already  open; 
compel  those  who  are  otherwise  your  friends  to  take  part 
against  you. 

*'Tho  wise  master-builder  counts  the  cost  of  the  edifice 
before  building.  The  sage  ruler,  contemplating  war  with  a 
neighboring  nation,  sits  down  and  calculates  the  number  of 
men  and  the  amount  of  money  necessary  to  carry  it  on. 
Have  you  estimated  the  value  of  the  advantages  you  propose 
to  enjoy  out  of  the  Union,  over  and  above  those  which  are  in 
it?  T  entreat  you,  as  you  love  your  country  and  mankind,  to 
consider  well  the  course  you  are  taking — a  course  that  will 
plunge  the  nation  into  bloody  war  and  destroy,  for  this  age 
at  least,  the  hopes  of  the  friends  of  Christianity  and  Peace, 
also  of  Civilization  and  Progress,  of  Commerce  and  Agri- 
culture. 

"O  that  the  Being  who  controls  the  destiny  of  nations 
would  intervene  and  spare  our  people  and  prosper  us  as  He 
has  hitherto  done!  Yours  very  respectfully, 

"J.  T.  Young." 

The  Sentinel  suspended  on  the  2d  of  November,  1861. 

The  Jeffersonian  Blade  was  a'contemporarj^  of  the  Senti- 
nel, and  was  Republican  in  politics.  It  was  established  Janu- 
ary 26,  I860,  by  James  Noff singer.  In  May,  1861,  Noff singer 
retired,  and  Geo.  Hickenlooper  and  Aaron  Melick  assumed 
the  management. 

The  Blade  of  August  14,  1860,  gives  rather  a  graphic 
pen-picture  of  Henry  Clay  Dean,  who  addressed  the  people  of 
Monroe  County  that  week: 

'"The  first  argument  the  speaker  presented  was  his  great 
toe,  about  the  size  and  color  of  an  old-fashioned  toad.  It 
stuck  out  of  his  sock  about  a  foot,  and  was  very  much  ad- 
mired by  the  ladies.  We  should  have  stated  that  the  speaker 
commenced  his  speech  by  preparing  to  go  to  bed — that  is, 
luiuled  off  all  his  duds — but  his  shirt  and  breeches. 

"The  next  argument  inti'oduced  by  Mr.  Dean  was  this: 
'If  you  want  a  discussion,  bring  on  your  man;  I  will  make 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY.  IOWA.  145 

him  feel  as  happy  as  he  can  be  in  the  flesh.     I  will  skin  him 
and  hang  him  up  to  rot!'  " 

It  would  appear  that  pioneer  life  was  not  without  its 
social  festivities.  The  Blade  publishes  a  card  from  A.  C. 
Haines,  announcing  that  he  would  serve  watermelons  at  his 
home  two  and  one-half  miles  east  of  Albia,  on  Friday  after- 
noon of  the  24th  instant,  at  4  o'clock.  All  who  could  not 
come  on  that  date  were  requested  to  come  on  the  following 
Tuesday  afternoon. 

The  Blade  of  October  15,  18G1,  announces  to  its  patrons 
that  in  consequence  of  one  of  its  publishers  (Mr.  Melick)  hav- 
ing gone  to  low  a  City  for  a  few  days'  visit  with  friends  and 
relatives,  there  would  "be  no  paper  next  w'eek." 

The  Blade  ceased  to  exist  October  15,  1861,  and  up  from 
its  ashes,  phcenix  like,  rose  the  AlhiaWeekhj  (ras^e^fe,  published 
by  Melick  and  Young.  In  January,  18G2,  Melick  retired  and 
Mr.  Young  ran  the  paper  until  the  following  April,  when  he 
laid  down  his  pen  and  took  up  his  musket  in  defense  of  the 
Tnion,  and  in  the  years  that  followed  his  political  senti- 
ments were  changed  and  his  party  faith  rechristened  by  the 
"baptism  of  Are." 

The  Weekly  Albia  Union,  the  well-known  Republican 
organ  of  Monroe  County  of  to-day,  was  established  by  Mat- 
thew A.  Robb,  May  20,  1862.  The  sheet  then,  as  now,  was 
Republican  in  politics. 

The  columns  of  the  Union  during  the  war  period  were 
tilled  chiefly  with  war  news  from  the  front.  No  other  topic 
was  of  interest  to  the  people.  The  soldier  boys  wrote  letters 
home  for  publication,  from  the  scenes  of  hostility.  The  tele- 
graphic wires  were  charged  day  and  night  with  reports  of  the 
movements  of  the  armies.  Mothers  watched  the  papers 
eagerly  for  the  list  of  "killed  and  wounded,"  or  to  read  the 
"latest  telegraphic  new  s." 

The  Union  of  March  26,  1863,  contains  an  editorial  con 
cerning  an  organization  known  as  the  "Golden  ('ircle,"  an 
alleged  organization  composed  of  rebel  sympathizers.     Fol- 
lowing is  the  article: 

"Any  society  formed  for  the  overthrow  of  this  Govern- 
ment can  have  but  a  temporary  existence.  Such  associa- 
tions may  do  us  much  harm  and  materially  embarrass  the  de- 
signs of  government,  but  they  never  can  permanently  resist 
its  power  and  effectually  sui)plant  it.  The  Knights  of  the 
Golden    Circle   exist   here,  and  in   most  of   the   townships 


146  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

throughout  the  county,  but  nobody  fears  them  except  as  they 
do  the  midnight  assassin  or  the  torch  of  the  incendiary. 
Whatever  of  evil  they  will  ever  accomplish,  at  most,  cannot 
go  far  beyond  the  destruction  of  a  small  amount  of  private 
property  and  the  secret  assassination  of  a  few  individuals. 
Even  this  would  be  a  melancholy  state  of  affairs,  but  no  one 
would  deem  such  disasters  equal  to  the  great  calamity  which 
must  befall  us  if  this  Government  is  destroyed.  The  leaders 
of  the  Copperhead  Democracy  pretend  to  be  ignorant  of  any 
such  associations,  and  deny  that  they  have  any  knowledge 
oi  their  existence,  but  the}'  cannot  cover  up  and  conceal  the 
monster  deformity  and  loathsome  organization  by  any  such 
mild  pretense.'' 

While  the  name  was  familiar  to  every  one,  the  existence 
in  Monroe  County  of  such  an  organization  was  probably  a 
myth.  In  the  first  place,  those  identified  with  the  movement 
would  have  been  apprehended  by  the  loyal  citizens  of  the 
county,  and,  under  the  high  tension  of  excitement  existing 
at  the  time,  would  have  been  roughly  dealt  with.  Public 
sentiment  was  so  wrought  up  that  it  is  quite  probable  that 
if  anj'  secret  movement  had  been  undertaken,  to  furnish  aid 
and  comfort  to  the  South,  the  promoters  of  the  movement 
would  have  been  apprehended  and  lynched.  The  public 
brain  was  heated  to  madness,  and  in  the  blindness  of  intense 
partisan  feeling  many  of  these  acrimonious  charges  made  by 
the  respective  political  parties  against  each  other  had  no 
real  foundation. 

The  ''Golden  Circle"  was  a  real  organization  in  some 
parts  of  the  North  and  it  may  be  true,  and  indeed  quite  likely, 
that  it  had  its  agents  at  work  throughout  the  country,  but  in 
thinly  settled  localities  like  Monroe  County,  where  most  peo- 
ple were  loyal  to  the  Government,  it  would  have  been  impos- 
sible for  the  emissaries  of  the  "Golden  Circle"  to  have  estab- 
lished a  working  foothold.  It  is  stated  on  reliable  authority 
that  an  organization  of  this  kind  existed  at  Blakesburg,  just 
over  the  county  line  in  W^apello  County.  The  term  was  used 
more  as  a  malediction  against  the  more  active  and  partisan 
Democrats  of  the  county  than  anything  else,  as  nearly  every 
noted  Democrat  was  branded  as  a  Knight  of  the  Golden 
Circle. 

The  rnion  of  March  3,  18G4,  contains  a  letter  written  by 
Rev.  Jacob  Wyrick,  of  Monroe  County,  to  Jacob  Hittle,  a 
soldier  of  the  Thirty-sixth  Iowa  Infantry,  stationed  with  his 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA.  U7 

regiment  near  Little  Rock.  As  the  letter  discusses  the  sub- 
ject of  human  slavery  from  a  scriptural  standpoint,  we  copy 
it  just  as  it  appeared  in  the  I  nio)i.  The  reverend  gentle- 
man's orthography  is  decidely  unique,  and  we  forbear  to 
attempt  to  reconstruct  it. 

''Monroe  County  Iowa,  Dec.  13,  1863. 

"Dear  brother, — I  take  my  pen  in  liand  to  let  you  now 
that  I  am  well  at  the  present  and  all  of  my  family  and  yours 
was  also  well  last  Monday'.  I  was  tliare  and  saw  all  of  them, 
and  we  talked  of  you,  and  I  red  the  speach  that  you  sent 
home,  part  of  that  speach  is  good  w'hen  he  gives  it  to  all 
the  high  ofMcers,  I  think  that  he  tells  the  truth  but  when  he 
attempts  to  justify  the  linkion  prolamation  and  amansipation 
then  he  leaves  the  truth  and  the  law  of  god  for  him  and  all 
the  mansipations  cant  read  in  gods  word  and  justify  it, 
if  they  can  I  want  them  to  turn  down  a  lief  and  gave  me  the 
chapter  and  verse  so  that  I  may  read  it  too  for  I  say  it  cant 
Be  found  only  by  them  that  says  that  Sprinklinge  of  Baybies 
is  baptism  will  you  please  read  the  13  and  14  chapters  of 
pauls  letter  to  the  romans  here  You  see  he  commands  no 
man  to  be  a  Judge  of  another  mans  servants  of  his  own 
master  and  now  we  thousands  put  themselves  up  as  Judges 
of  another  mans  servants  of  his  own  master  O  may  god 
help  me  to  turn  from  disobedience  to  serve  the  only  and 
true  god  by  obedience  to  his  lawes. 

"Thence  turn  with  me  to  the  0  chapter  of  eflSsians  and 
5  verse  and  hear  you  tinde  that  thay  are  commanded  to 
obey  thare  masters  and  if  these  abolishen  can  sho  me  that 
it  is  the  word  of  god  that  telles  us  that  it  is  rong  to  rule 
over  them  we  will  be  Able  to  show  them  that  the  lord 
conterdicts  himself  but  I  as  a  man  say  that  no  man  can  do 
it,  thence  turn  with  me  to  the  -4  chapter  of  Collassians  and 
fir.s,t  verse  and  here  you  sea  that  the  lord  through  the  apostle 
eommanded  the  masters  to  give  to  thare  servants  that  wich 
was  just  and  equal  now  if  it  was  rong  as  the  abolishens  say 
then  the  lord  would  have  sed  set  him  free  but  remember 
well  that  no  man  can  sho  that  and  turn  down  the  liefs  whare 
the  spirits  sed  so.  thence  turn  w  ith  me  and  read  the  sixth 
chapter  of  the  first  timothy  and  hear  the  lord  speak  to 
many  servants  to  count  thare  own  masters  worthy  of  all 
oner  so  if  god  sayes  thay  are  worthy  of  all  oner  why  do 
<iault  and  all  other  abolishen  say  that  it  is  no  oner  may  god 
spare  them  for  denying  his  word  is  my  prayer  for  them  all. 


148  HISTORY  OF  MOM  ROE  COUNTY.  IOWA. 

make!  and  debby  and  all  the  famil3^  is  well  I  want  you  Both 
to  receive  my  love  and  remember  me  until  death  I  pray  that 
you  may  get  back  home  safe  Brother  it  does  seam  strange 
to  me  to  read  your  solem  letters  and  read  in  them  that 
you  desire  the  struggle  to  go  on  and  hear  that  you  voted 
for  stone  when  he  is  aposed  to  peace  on  any  termes  untill 
the  last  visage  of  slavery  is  wiped  out.  o  brother  why  will 
men  vote  for  the  cause  that  will  keep  them  from  thare 
wives  and  children  and  vote  for  the  dagger  to  be  pushed 
on  that  pearces  ther  one  hartes.  I  want  you  to  show  this 
letter  to  all  the  abolishen  and  tell  them  to  anser  me  I  pray 
for  you  and  I  want  you  to  pray  for  me  I  am  yours  truly 

''Jacob  Wyricky 

On  the  7th  of  August,  1862,  Mr.  Robb  retired  from  the 
Union;  he  enlisted  in  the  Twenty-second  Iowa  Infantry, 
and  was  killed  at  Vicksburg.  M,  V.  Brown  bought  the 
sheet,  and  Geo,  W.  Yocum  did  the  editorial  work.  In  1863 
G.  W.  and  B.  F,  Yocum  became  editors  and  proprietors.  In 
1865  Val  Mendal  purchased  this  plant,  and  five  years  later 
he  took  C.  M.  Clapp  in  with  him  as  editor  and  partner. 
When  Mr.  Clapp  retired,  in  1872,  C.  L.  Nelson  took  editorial 
charge  and  did  all  of  the  editorial  work,  Mr.  Mendal  being 
the  sole  owner  of  the  paper. 

In  1882  Tom  Hutchinson  succeeded  Mr.  Nelson  as 
editor  for  a  short  time,  and  on  October  5th  of  the  same 
year  Mr.  Mendal  sold  the  paper  to  Hon.  J.  T.  Young  and  son. 
These  gentlemen  conducted  the  paper  until  April  17,  1884, 
when  ex-Lieutenant-Governor  M.  M.  Walden  bought  the 
concern,  Mr.  Walden  had  Congressianal  aspirations  at  the 
time,  and  did  not  assume  active  management  of  the  paper. 
Mr,  Young  continued  as  the  editorial  writer,  and  Frank 
Hickenlooper  acted  as  local  editor  for  a  time. 

On  March  4,  1886,  Walden  sold  the  paper  to  Alpheus  B. 
Barnes,  who  has  been  the  sole  editor  and  proprietor  up  to 
the  present  time.  INIr.  Barnes  has  been  at  the  helm  for  the 
greatest  length  of  time  of  any  of  the  Vnion's  former  pro- 
prietors. He  is  assisted  quite  efficiently  by  his  son  Horace, 
a  young  man  of  strict  integrity  and  of  considerable  promise, 
well  calculated  to  take  up  the  cudgel  in  behalf  of  the  public 
welfare  and  good  government  whenever  age  shall  require 
the  senior  member  to  lay  it  down. 

Mr.  Barnes  has  his  paper  located  in  a  handsome  and 
well-equipped  brick  building  on  the  southeast  comer  of  the 


UlUTORY  Of  MOMiVE  VOUNTY.  IOWA.  149 

Square,  and  owns  the  block  as  well  as  the  newspaper  plant. 
He  is  a  veteran  in  journalism,  and  will  doubtless  die  in  the 
harness,  a  natural  death.  Uis  bold  and  aggressive  methods 
of  conducting  a  paper  have  w'on  for  him  some  enemies,  which 
would  be  an  inevitable  consequence  with  anyone  conducting 
a  high-mettled  sheet  for  so  long  a  time.  Whatever  may 
be  said  of  Mr.  Barnes'  qualiticaiions  as  a  journalist,  he  has 
a  wide  circle  of  staunch  supporters,  and  is  a  high-minded 
gentleman,  was  a  brave  and  loyal  soldier,  and  is  the  head 
of  one  of  the  best  and  most  highly  esteemed  families  in  the 
{State, 

The  Albia  Republic  was  a  Democratic  paper,  started  by 

A.  C.  IJailey  in  August,  ISG8.  It  existed  for  about  a  year, 
when  the  plant  was  purchased  by  Messrs.  Ragsdale  and 
Hills.  The  liepublic  was  a  fair  and  faithful  exponent  of 
the  Democratic  doctrine,  and  might  have  established  itself 
permanently  had  it  not  been  that  the  Democratic  support 
within  the  county  at  that  time  was  very  meager. 

Kagsdale  and  Hills  converted  the  concern  into  a  Kepub- 
lican  paper,  under  the  name  of  The  ISpirit  of  the  Went.  The 
sheet  made  its  lirst  appearance  December  1,  ISGD.  In  1870 
Hills  withdrew,  and  one  E.  Ji.  Woodward  took  his  place. 
In  June  of  the  same  year  Woodward  was  succeeded  by  C. 
McConnell,  and  in  October  of  the  same  year  a  man  named 
Brown  succeeded  McConnell.  In  April,  1871, 1.  JS.  Carpenter 
and  C.  C.  Berger  bought  the  paper,  and  in  the  siuue  year 

B.  F.  Yocum  succeeded  Mr.  Berger.  In  1872  Yocum  retired 
and  left  the  concern  solely  to  Carpenter.  In  1872  Ben  F. 
Elbert  identitied  himself  with  Carpenter,  and  James  Haynes 
became  editor.  January  10,  1874,  J.  C.  I'eacock  ^:  Company 
bought  the  plant  and  ran  it  six  weeks,  and  then  sold  it  to 
W.  U.  McConnell  •&  Company,  who  removed  it  to  Kearney, 
Nebraska.  The  publication  led  a  checkered  existence  from 
first  to  last;  not  so  much  from  incapacity  on  the  pai't  of  its 
managers  as  from  the  fact  that  the  local  held  could  not 
support  two  Kepublican  papers,  and  it  was  impossible  for 
The  Spirit  of  the  West  to  gain  a  permanent  foothold  where 
the  Albia  (  nion  held  the  patronage. 

In  1874  the  Reform  Weekly  Leader  made  its  aitpearance 
under  the  management  of  I'orte  \Velsli.  The  sheet  was  very 
rambling  in  its  political  tenets,  and  did  not  espouse  any 
party  cause  in  particular  while  under  the  management  of 
Mr.  Welsh.     It  was  one  of  that  class  of  so  called  independent 


150  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY.  IOWA. 

newspapers  which  float  around  in  a  sea  of  ethereal  thought, 
and  exalted  but  impracticable  social  theories,  yet  ready,  like 
the  barnacle,  to  attach  itself  to  whatever  it  may  come  in 
contact  with.  It  was  published  simultaneously  at  Albia 
and  Oskaloosa.  On  April  IS,  1874,  R.  Tell  Coffman  bought 
the  Albia  concern,  and  J,  M.  Humphrey  acted  as  associate 
editor.  It  finally,  in  1874,  espoused  the  cause  of  the  Demo- 
cratic party,  but  early  in  1875  it  collapsed. 

The  Albia  Reporter  was  the  next  newcomer  in  Monroe 
County  journalism.  It  was  established  by  Gr.  N.  Udell  and 
G.  C.  Miller,  April  10,  1875,  and  professed  to  be  independent 
in  politics,  but  soon  enlisted  under  the  banner  of  Horace 
Greeley  and  the  Liberal-Democrat  movement  of  that  year. 
It  did  not  run  longer  than  a  few  months. 

The  next  paper  to  attempt  to  attain  the  ''north  pole" 
of  journalistic  success  in  Monroe  County  was  the  Industrial 
Era,  which  made  its  appearance  in  1875.  F.  A.  Mann 
leased  the  plant  from  Geo.  C.  Fry,  of  Batavia,  Jefferson 
County,  Iowa,  who  had  conducted  it  as  a  Grange  organ. 
Mann  converted  it  into  a  Greenback  paper,  and  ran  it  until 
August  14,  1879,  when  he  retired  and  his  place  was  taken 
by  Geo.  Tucker,  of  Albia,  who  ran  it  for  four  months  in  the 
interest  of  the  Greenback  party.  D.  M.  Clark,  of  Wayne 
County,  was  running  for  State  senator  that  fall,  on  the 
fusion  ticket,  and  Monroe  County  was  carried  by  that 
gentleman,  largely  through  Mr.  Tucker's  efforts. 

In  the  latter  part  of  1879  Geo.  Stamm  leased  the  Era 
and  continued  it  as  a  Greenback  organ  until  May,  1882,  when 
he  retired.  His  paper  made  a  strong  fight  to  secure  the 
enactment  of  the  Iowa  prohibitory  amendment,  which  was 
voted  upon  by  the  people  of  the  State  on  June  27,  1882. 

The  Albia  Era,  as  it  had  been  named  by  Stamm,  was 
now  leased  from  its  owner,  Mr.  Fry,  by  Henry  J.  Bell,  a 
brilliant  young  student  and  ardent  advocate  of  Federal  fiat 
money.  Mr.  Bell  conducted  the  paper  about  a  year,  and  was 
succeeded  by  H.  E.  Davis,  of  Bloomfleld.  Davis  staid  with 
the  Era  a  short  time,  and  finally  Mr.  Foster,  the  well-known 
weather  prophet,  succeeded  as  publisher.  The  paper  ex- 
pired and  was  never  resurrected  when  Foster  let  go  of  it. 
The  Era  was  never  a  success  financially. 

E.  O.  Davis,  at  about  this  time,  established  The  Opinion, 
a  sheet  in  the  interest  of  the  Union  Labor  party,  but  it  died 
down  in  a  few  months.  Wallace  Miner  had  charge  of  it  for 
a  short  time.     The  paper  was  a  failure  financially. 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY.  IOWA.  151 

In  1876  O.  H.  \\'ootl  established  The  Plaindealer  at 
Melrose.  The  followin<f  year  it  was  transferred  to  Albia 
and  conducted  as  a  temperance  paper.  It  tinally  became  a 
Democratic  orjian,  but  in  187S  it  collajtsed.  A  short  time 
afterwards  Tom  Leonard  revived  the  sheet  as  a  Democratic 
orj^an. 

fJohn  Doner,  in  1879,  took  charge  of  the  plant  and 
started  the  Alhia  Democrat,  runnin*;-  it  about  three  years. 
Som('  time  later,  aft(  r  the  paper  had  become  defunct,  Hon. 
T.  U.  Terry,  and  perhaps  other  leading  Democrats  in  the 
county,  rec()gnizing  the  necessity  of  a  party  organ  in  the 
county,  bought  the  plant,  and  placed  its  management  in 
the  hands  of  Messrs.  Weber  and  Howard.  These  gentlemen 
built  the  concern  up  into  a  thrifty  party  organ.  Mr.  Weber 
was  the  most  adroit  and  active  party  manager  the  Democrats 
have  ever  had  in  ]\Ionroe  County.  He  proved  to  be  a  Moses 
to  lead  them  out  of  political  bondage.  By  his  efforts  the 
county  was  cairied  by  his  party;  and  under  Mr.  Cleveland's 
first  term  of  the  I'residency  he  was  given  the  Albia  post- 
ottice.  Mr.  Howard,  his  partner,  attended  to  the  local  and 
mechanical  departments,  and  besides  being  a  first-rate 
printer,  was  a  talented  writer,  especially  in  a  light,  humorous 
vein.     Both  gentlemen  are  now  located  in  Utah. 

In  ISUO  they  sold  out  to  W.  E.  Cherry,  a  gamey  young- 
newspaper  man  from  the  western  part  of  the  State.  Mr. 
Cherry  conducted  the  paper  as  a  Democratic  organ  until 
181)4,  when  it  was  purchased  by  D.  K.  Michener,  who  in  1895 
sold  it  to  Campbell  Brothers.  These  gentlemen  did  not 
succeed  with  it,  and  later  in  the  year  Frank  Morris  acquired 
an  interest  in  the  Democrat. 

Early  in  The  spring  oi  the  present  year  (189G)  H.  M. 
Jielvel  and  H.  J  I.  Crensliaw.  both  of  Des  Moines,  bought  the 
Democrat,  and  are  now  j>ublishing  it.  Mr.  lielvel  is  a  news- 
paper man  of  more  than  ordinary  literary  ability,  and  spends 
part  of  his  time  in  Des  Moines  editing  a  syndicate  letter, 
which  is  supplied  to  about  seventy-five  Democratic  weeklies 
throughout  Iowa.  He  is  high-strung  and  aggressive  in  the 
enunciation  of  his  party  creed.  He  is  the  newspaper  corre- 
sp<mdent  whom  Senator  Finn,  of  Bedford,  chastised  some 
years  ago  at  the  Capitol  at  Des  Moines  f(H-  iMiblishiug  sonic 
malodorous  statement  concerning  the  lattei-. 

In  1889  Messrs.  Mcndt'l  and  Nelson,  b;>th  well-known 
veterans  in  local  j(Mirnalism,  launched  th«»  Alhia  Herald,  a 


152  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY.  TOW  A. 

Republican  paper.  They  ran  it  a  few  weeks  and  then  sold 
it  to  a  Mr.  Crider,  who  continued  it  for  about  a  year  as  a 
Republican  sheet,  when  it  succumbed  through  a  lack  of 
patronage. 

The  concern  was  well  managed,  but  it  was  impossible 
for  it  to  establish  itself  in  the  territory  of  so  formidable  a 
rival  as  the  Union,  whose  right  of  priority  seemed  to  be  so 
well  recognized  by  the  public  that  it  felt  indifferent  to  the 
welfare  of  flie  newcomer. 

When  Mr.  Crider  abandoned  the  Herald,  Hal  Holesclaw 
and  Mark  Sylvester  took  hold  of  the  plant  and  started  a 
small  independent  daily,  called  the  AlUa  News.  It  lived 
only  about  three  weeks,  and  then  collapsed. 

In  1890  M.  M.  Hinton  established  the  Monroe  County 
Progress  in  the  town  of  Lovilia.  It  was  conducted  as  an 
independent  paper,  but  disclosed  a  slight  tendency  towards 
the  Populist  party. 

In  1891  Messrs.  Gass  and  Swayne  started  a  Populist 
organ  at  Albia,  called  The  People's  Defender,  and  in  1892 
Mr.  Hinton  brought  his  plant  to  Albia  and  consolidated  it 
with  the  Defender,  the  organ  thus  united  taking  the  name  of 
The  Progress-Defender.  It  is  the  official  organ  of  the  Popu- 
lists of  the  county.  Mr.  Hinton  is  its  sole  publisher  and 
proprietor. 

The  Ai&ia  Republican  was  launched  at  Albia,  October 
24,  1894,  by  the  Whittaker  Brothers,  a  pair  of  journalistic 
hustlers  from  Oklahoma  Territory.  It  started  as  a  Republi- 
can paper,  but  was  an  advocate  of  the  free  and  unlimited 
coinage  of  silver,  a  position  which  the  Populists  and  major 
portion  of  the  Democratic  party  espoused  in  1895  and  1896. 
Finding  that  these  views  did  not  meet  the  endorsement  of 
the  Republican  party,  the  manager  soon  ceased  the  cham- 
pionship of  free  silver,  apparently  without  any  qualms  of 
conscience. 

In  July,  1896,  the  Whittakers  sold  the  paper  to  Val 
Mendel  and  a  gentleman  named  Sebille,  from  Bedford,  Iowa. 
These  gentlemen  are  now  managing  the  sheet,  endeavoring 
to  place  it  on  a  paying  basis.  It  is  issued  both  daily  and 
weekly,  and  is  a  nice,  clean  sheet. 

When  the  Whittakers  sold  the  sheet,  Charles,  one  of 
the  lii-m,  located  in  California,  and  is  now  publishing  a 
small  paper,  called  The  Olive  Branch,  at  the  town  of 
Cucamonga.     Harry,  the  other  brother,  remained  at  Albia 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY.  IOWA.  153 

a  few  weeks,  and,  becoming  involved  in  a  social  scandal, 
left  for  parts  unknown,  leaving  his  wife  behind. 

\\'hile  the  Whittakers  had  control  of  the  Repuhlican, 
they  made  a  vigorous  effort  to  secure  the  county  printing. 
Wagons  and  bicycles  were  awarded  to  the  person  securing 
the  greatest  number  of  subscribers  to  their  paper.  The 
Board  of  Supervisors,  on  the  face  of  the  sworn  subscription- 
list  of  the  three  local  paj)ers,  awarded  the  county  printing 
to  be  placed  with  the  Protjress-Defender  and  Republican.  The 
Albia  i  nion  contested  the  award,  and  carried  it  into  the 
District  Court  for  trial.  The  jury  failed  to  agree,  and  a 
new  trial  is  now  pending. 

The  L'nion  alleged  that  several  hundred  of  the  Republi- 
can's certified  yearly  subscribers  were  not  bona  fide,  as 
they  were  25-cent  subscribers.  The  Republicaii's  list 
exceeded  that  of  the  I  nion  by  several  hundred,  and  this 
excess,  the  Union  alleged,  was  made  up  of  25-cent  sub- 
scribers. The  Union  also  alleges  fraud.  There  w^as  but 
little  doubt  that  the  Republican's  subscription  list  was  made 
up  largely  of  25-cent  subscriptions,  and  whether  these  should 
be  recognized  as  bona  fide  yearly  subscriptions  is  a  problem 
for  the  courts  to  decide. 

In  addition  to  the  secular  press  of  the  county,  the 
Messenger  Publishing  Company  of  Albia  have  lately  started 
a  small  weekly  in  quarto  form,  going  by  the  name  of  The 
Messenger.  Its  statf  of  publishers  consists  of  L.  J.  Harring- 
ton, office  editor;  E.  G.  Powers,  associate  editor;  and  F.  K. 
Morris,  business  manager.  The  publication  is  devoted 
exclusively  to  religious  topics,  and  is  an  exponent  of  the 
motlern  doctrine  of  "holiness,"  or  entire  sanctification. 


154  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY.  IOWA. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

County  Government. 

When  the  county  was  first  organized,  it  was  under  the 
triumvirate  of  three  officers,  known  as  the  Board  of  County 
Commissioners.  Their  duties  were  restricted  mainly  to  the 
organizing  of  townships  within  the  county,  the  laying  out  of 
town  plats,,  the  location  of  public  highways,  the  levying  of 
taxes,  the  canvass  of  election  returns,  and  the  auditing  of 
public  claims  and  accounts.  Their  duties  were  identical 
with  those  of  the  Board  of  Supervisors  of  the  present  day. 
Their  tax  levies  were  not  burdensome,  as  will  be  seen  by  the 
action  of  their  meeting  of  August  20,  1848: 

"Ordered,  That  there  be  levied  a  tax  of  5  mills  upon  all 
the  taxable  property  of  Kishkekosh  County;  a  tax  of  ^  mill 
for  Territorial  purposes,  subject  to  the  order  of  the  Legisla- 
ture of  the  Territory,  and  also  a  poll-tax  of  50  cents  upon 
every  male  person  in  the  county  subject  to  a  poll-tax." 

W.  G.  Clark  was  the  first  man  to  be  elected  to  a  public 
office  in  the  county.  He  was  elected  justice  of  the  peace  in 
August,  1844. 

Following  is  a  list  of  County  Commissioners  given  in 
the  order  of  their  election  from  1845  to  1851,  when  their 
office  was  discontinued:  Joseph  McMullen,  Jas.  S.  Bradley, 
Moses  H.  Clark,  Jeremiah  Miller,  clerk;  Wm.  McBride,  An- 
dew  Elswisk,  Smith  Judson,  Dudley  C.  Barber,  clerk; 
Andrew  Elswick,  Wm.  McBride,  Geo.  R.  Holliday,  Smith 
Judsou.  Geo.  Holliday,  John  Clark,  Geo.  R.  Holliday,  John 
Clark,  and  Lewis  Arnold.  Geo.  W.  Piper  was  clerk  from 
1849  to  185L 

From  1851  to  1861  the  county  was  under  the  rule  of  an 
autocracy,  consisting  of  a  single  officer,  called  the  Count}' 
Judge.  Those  who  served  as  County  Judges  were  D.  A. 
Richardson  and  James  Hilton.  In  1855  J.  N.  Massey  was 
elected  to  the  office,  but  it  was  decided  that  he  was  ineligible 
to  the  office,  owing  to  the  fact  that  when  elected  he  held  the 
office  of  School-fund  Commissioner.  John  Phillips  was  his 
opponent,  and  as  he  Avas  also  incumbered  with  a  Federal 
office,  being  postmaster  at  Albia,  the  office  was  declared 
vacant,  and  Judge  Richardson  held  over.  The  case  was  con- 
tested by  John  Webb,  and  Judge  Richardson,  Lewis  Arnold 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 


155 


and  Hillah  Hayes  constituted  the  tribunal  to  try  the  case. 
They  held  tliat  the  office  was  vacant. 

It  was  during  rludge  Milton's  term  that  the  consti'uction 
of  Monroe  County's  present  court-house  was  begun.  There 
was  considerable  opposition  to  its  construction  at  the  time, 
and  especially  to  its  location  in  the  town  park,  which  did  not 
comprise  a  part  of  the  town  plat  set  apart  for  public  build- 
ings. Judge  Hilton,  howe^■er,  bluntly  ordered  the  structure 
built  in  the  centei-  of  the  park,  and  the  order  was  obeyed. 


THK  MONROE  COUNTY  COURT-HOUSK. 

The  Sentinel,  at  the  time,  stated  that  two  designs  of 
architecture  were  submitted,  and  that  the  design  chosen  by 
Judge  Hilton  was  the  worse  of  the  two,  being  after  the 
architecture  of  the  Tud(us.  In  later  years  it  seems  that 
none  of  the  county's  citizens  have  ever  refused  to  become  an 
occupant  of  the  building  on  account  of  the  alleged  medieval 
style  of  architecture.  The  average  ollice-seeker  does  not 
seem  to  care  whether  the  style  of  the  building  is  Ionic,  Doric, 
Tuscan  or  medieval,  so  long  as  he  gets  a  cliance  to  occui>y 
the  buildiner. 


156  HISTORY  OP  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

In  1861  the  office  of  County  Judge  was  abolished  by  an 
act  of  the  Legislature,  and  another  Supervisor  system 
adopted.  It  consisted  of  one  member  from  each  of  the  twelve 
townships. 

Those  who  served  as  members  from  1861  to  1871,  when 
the  plan  was  further  changed  so  that  the  number  of  mem- 
bers was  restricted  to  three,  as  at  the  present  time,  were  as 
follows,  serving  in  the  order  of  their  enumeration: 

1861:  J.  M.  Richardson,  William  Mercer,  Sebastian 
Streeter,  Warren  L.  Rail,  D.  J.  Prayther,  John  Kirby,  John 
Clark,  John  McFarland,  Hiram  Hough,  W.  G.  Clark,  W.  A. 
Lamaster,  John  Hayes. 

1862:  R.  W.  Moss,  C.  L.  Osburn,  H.  Hough,  J.  McFar- 
land, Wm.  Mercer,  Samuel  Richmond,  D.  J.  Prayther, 
Michael  Campbell,  John  Clark,  T.  C.  Crouch,  W.  A.  Lamaster, 
J.  R.  Stock. 

1863:  R.  W.  Moss,  Joseph  Robb,  C.  C.  Osburn,  Lot 
King,  Henry  Freeland,  M.  Campbell,  John  Clark,  W.  F. 
Wallcer,  Hiram  Hough,  T.  C.  Crouch,  W.  A.  Lamaster,  el. 
R.  Stock. 

1864  Wareham  G.  Clark,  R.  W.  Moss,  Joseph  Robb, 
C.  C.  Osburn,  Lot  King,  H.  Freeland,  W.  B.  Hill,  W.  A. 
Dean,  G.  W.  (xammond,  W.  A.  Lamaster,,  J.  R.  Stock,  W.  F. 
Walker. 

1865 :  Washington  Atkins,  H,  Fullerton,  C.  C.  Osburn, 
R.  M.  Tliompson,  W.  H.  H.  Lind,  W.  B.  Hill.  W.  A.  Dean,  J. 
L.  Anderson,  S.  G.  Finney,  W.  G.  Clark,  W.  A.  Lamaster,  J. 
R.  Stock. 

1866:  W.  V.  Beedle.  H.  Fullerton,  T.  H.  Duncan,  R.  M. 
^J^hompsou,  W.  H.  H.  Lind,  L.  McGuirk,  W.  A.  Dean,  J.  L. 
Anderson,  S.  G.  Finney,  O.  P.  Rowles,  W.  A.  Lamaster,  J.  R. 
Hurford. 

1867 :  W.  V,  Beedle,  S.  Wyckoff,  T.  H.  Duncan,  D.  Cross, 
Wm.  Kelsey,  L.  McGuirk,  John  Clark,  J.  McCormick,  S.  G. 
Finney,  O.  P.  Rowles,  W.  A.  Lamaster,  J.  R.  Hurford. 

1868:  J.  R.  Hurford,  Wm.  Kelsey,  G.  W.  Grass,  S. 
Wyckotf,  R.  A.  Hewitt,  D.  Cross,  L.  McGuirk,  John  Clark,  J. 
McCormick,  S.  G.  Finney,  Jas.  Hilton,  W.  A.  Lamaster. 

1869:  Lewis  Henninger,  H.  R.  Teller,  J.  Findlay,  Jr., 
J.  S.  Hogeland,  Wm.  Jenkins,  L.  McGuirk,  W.  R.  Ross, 
Samuel  Bain,  S.  (t.  Finney,  Jas.  Hilton,,  W.  A.  Lamaster,  J. 
R.  Hurford. 

1870:     Lewis  Henninger,  H.  R.  Teller,  J.  Findlay,  Jr., 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY.  IOWA. 


157 


.1.  y.  Hojieland.  Wm.  Jenkins,  L.  MeGiiirk,  W.  K.  Ross, 
Samuel  liain,  O.  ^W  Reading,  W.  D.  Kinser,  W.  A.  Laniaster. 
^^  G.  Kemper. 

The  membeis  of  the  present  system  were : 


1871 
1872 
1873 
1874 
1875 
1876 
1877 
1878 
1879 
1880 
1881 
1882 
1883 
1884 
1885 
1886 
1887 

ninjr. 

1888: 

Rerrv. 
1880: 

Tiahart. 
1800: 

Canninp:. 
1801 : 

CanninL'. 
1802: 

La  hart. 
1803: 
1804: 
1 805 : 
1806 : 


H.  R.  Teller,  P.  T.  Lambert,  and  C.  A.  :\lill(  r. 
Jolui  Clark,  H.  R.  Teller,  and  C.  A.  MiUer. 
John  Clark,  C.  A.  Miller,  and  Wm.  Hardy. 
John  Clark,  J.  B.  Bell,  and  H.  L.  Vosburg. 
John  Clark,  IT.  L.  Vosbur^,  and  Wm.  Mercer. 
John  Clark,  H.  L.  Vosburg,  and  Joseph  Nichol. 
John   Clark,  Joseph  Kiehol,  and  T.  B.  O'Bryan. 
Joseph  Nichol,  Val   Fuller,  and   T.  B.  O'Bryan. 
Val  Fuller,  T.  B.  O'Bryan,  and  David  Hammond. 
Val  Fuller,  J.  R.  Hurd,  and  Thos.  O'Bryan. 
J.  R.  Hurd,  Thos.  O'Bryan,  and  David  Hammond. 
J.  R.  Hurd,  David  Hammond,  and  Geo.  Kerr. 
J.  R.  Hurd.  Thos.  O'Bryan,  and  Wm.  Mercer. 
y\\  A.  Koontz,  Thos.  O'Bryan,  and  J.  B.  Castner. 
Herman  Snow,  Thos.  O'Bryan,  and  J.  B.  Castner. 
J.  B.  Castner,  John  Walsh,  and  Herman  Snow. 
John  Walsh,  Herman  Snow,  and  Edward  Can 

John    Walsh,    Edward     Canning",     and    Henry 

Edward    Canning:,    Henry    Berry,  and  William 

Henry    Berry,  William    Lahart.    and    Edward 

AYilliam    Lahart,    Henry    Berry,  and    Edward 

Edward    Canning,    Henrv   Berrv,   and  William 


Henry  Berry,  ^\'illialll  T>ahart,  and  (Jeo.  L.  Robb. 
Geo.  L.  Robb,  Elmer  Thayer,  and  Wm.  Lahart. 
Geo.  L.  Robb,  Elmer  Thayer,  and  J.  C.  Currier. 
Elmer  Thayer.  J.  C.  Currier,  and  Wm.  Davis. 
^Ii".  T\(M'r  died  soon  after  eleclion.  and  Wm.  ^Nferccr  was 
elected  to  fill  the  vacancy. 

Sheriffs. 
John  Clark.  1845:  Ezra  T.  Coen,  1847:  D.  Durall,  1851: 
Willis  Arnold,  1853;  John  M.  Porter,  1855;  E.  R.  Rockwell, 
1857;  Rilev  Wescoatt,  1850;  E.  P.  Coen,  1861;  A.  J.  McDon- 
ald, 1865;  J.  M.  Robb,  1871  :  Sam'l  F.  :Millcr,  1877. 


158  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

When  the  Monroe  County  Bank  went  down,  October  11, 
1882,  Sheriff  ]\[iller  was  involved  in  the  affair  in  some  man- 
ner, and  resigned  the  office  of  Sheriff.  The  County  Board  of 
Supervisors  appointed  Martin  Clever  to  fill  the  unexpired 
portion  of  his  term  up  to  the  time  for  holding  the  general 
election,  when  P.  L.  Hoskins  was  elected  for  the  remainder 
of  the  vacant  term. 


J.  p.  LAMBE;rsON,  Bx-Sheriff  of  Monroe  County. 

John  M.  Menan  was  elected  in  1884,  but  was  incom- 
petent to  fill  the  office  and  resigned.  The  County  Board  ap- 
pointed W.  W.  O'Bryan  to  fill  the  vacancy  up  to  election,  and 
J.  W.  Lewis  was  elected  to  fill  the  remaining  portion  of  the 
vacancy. 

L.  T.  Kiohmond  served  one  term,  in  188G;  C.  M.  Forest 
then  served  two  terms,  and  J.  P.  Lamberson  served  two 
terms. 

The  next  is  the  present  incumbent,  Captain  John  Doner, 
who  was  elected  in  November,  1895,  on  the  Populist  ticket. 
He  was  elected  in  the  face  of  a  heavy  Republican  majority  in 
the  county,  given  to  other  nominees. 

Probate  Judges. 
The  office  of  Probate  Judge  was  consolidated  with  that 
of  County  Judge,  when  the  County  Commissioner  system 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY.  IOWA.  159 

was  abandoned.  After  this  clumge  bad  taken  idace,  there 
were  three  Judges  elected.  The  entire  list  of  these  Judges 
was:  ^V.  G.  Clark,  1845;  Geo.  AV.  Reading,  1847;  W.  P. 
Hammond,  1862;  A.  A.  Mason,  1803;  Geo.  Hickenlooper, 
180(5. 

Tlie  emoluments  of  the  office  were  not  quite  so  dis- 
tinguished as  those  which  attach  to  the  title  of  a  judge  of 
I  he  present  day,  but  each  official  contrived  to  cling  to  the 
title,  and  for  all  intents  and  purposes  it  is  just  as  good  a 
title  socially  as  if  prefixed  to  the  name  of  a  member  of  the 
Supreme  Court. 

Clerks  of  the  District  Court. 
Jas.  Hilton,  1845;    Jonas  Wescoatt,  1848;  Jacob  Webb, 
1850;  S.  E.  L.  Moore,    1854;  Sam'l   Buchanan,  1850;  W.  E. 
Neville,  1858;  Henry  Miller,  1800;  Josiah  T.  Young.  1807; 
John  W.  H.  Griffin,  1873;  Henry  McCahan,  1890. 

Circuit  Judge. 
Henry  L.  Dashiell  held  the  office  of  Circuit  Judge  from 
ISOO  to  187.^.. 

County  Auditor. 
On  the  suspension  of  the  office  of  Probate  Judge,  in  1808, 
the  office  of  Auditor  was  created  to  take  its  place.  Geo. 
Hickenlooper,  who  Nvas  Probate  Judge  when  the  Auditor's 
office  was  created,  performed  the  Auditor's  duties  for  one 
year;  Samuel  T.  Craig  then  held  the  office  until  December 
30,  1877;  John  W.  Moss  succeeded  to  the  office  in  1878; 
Edward  A.  Canning,  1883;  A.  J.  Cassaday,  1885;  J.  W.  Van 
Gilder,  1887;  John  R.  Clark,  1892;  B.  P.  Castner.  1894  to 
1890. 

Treasurer. 
T.  G.  Templet (m,  1845;  C.  W.  Anderson,  184();  Jolui 
Webb,  18.-5;  D.  A.  Noble.  1850:  John  M.  Wils(m,  1800;  John 
R.  Duncan,  1802;  Harrison  Hickenlooinn-,  1800;  John  R. 
May,  1870;  Harrison  Hickenlooper,  1874;  Edward  ^IcDon- 
ald",  1870;  John  W.  Moss,  1880;  David  Hammond,  1885; 
John  C.  Coffman,  1889;  John  M.  Af.  Roberts,  1895-0. 

Recorder. 
Tn  1805  Ihf  offict'  of  R(M'ord«'r  was  created.     I'rior  to  that 
tim«'  the  functions  of  the  Recorder  were  performed  by  the 


160 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY.  IOWA. 


Treasurer,  John  R.  Duncan,  who  was  Treasurer  when  the 
change  was  made,  held  the  office  of  Recorder  until  1867,  when 
Jas.  Coen  was  elected  in  that  year;  Calvin  Barnard,  1869; 
J.  R.  Castle,  1875;  C.  W.  I'rindle,  1878;  PJd.  I.  Ramsay.  1880; 
Boyd  Miller,  1887;  Ed.  I.  Ramsay,  1891;  John  Morrissey, 
1894;  Robt.Clapp,  1896. 


Wm.  E-  elder,  Ex-Superintendent  of  Schools  of  Monroe  Coi^ntv. 


ScJiool  Superintendent. 
Samuel  Adams,  1855;  E.  M.  Bills,  1856;  J.  W.  H.  Griffin, 
1865;  W.  A.  Nichol,  1869;  Thos.  Kellv,  1872;  A.  J.  Cassa- 
day,  1875;  Wm.  E.  Elder,  1879;  H."^J.  Bell,  1881;  D.  W. 
NeA'ins,  1890;  A.  J.  Henderson,  1894;  Mrs.  Angle  Reit- 
zel.  1896. 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA.  Igl 

County  Attorney. 

In  180G  the  otfice  of  the  County  Attorney  was  created. 
Prior  to  that  time  the  Proseciitinji:  Attorney's  jurisdiction 
was  coextensive  with  that  of  the  judicial  district,  but  it  was 
found  expedient  to  institute  a  change,  owing  to  tlie  increase 
of  ollicial  duties  devolving  on  the  district  prosecutor. 

Those  who  have  occupied  the  position  in  Monroe  County 
are:  Ed.  Morrison,  1887;  Fred  Townsend,  1891;  N.  E. 
Kendall,  1896. 

Coroner. 
The  office  of  Coroner  in  the  earlier  period  of  Monroe 
County's  history  was  rather  an  intermittent  one.  Some 
times  an  officer  was  elected,  and  at  other  times  the  place  was 
vacant,  in  which  latter  case  the  SherilT  was  supposed  to  at- 
tend to  any  duties  pertaining  to  the  holding  of  inquests. 
Some  of  those  who  have  served  as  Coroner  were:  John 
Webb,  Dr.  Moist\s  Cousins.  Cas]>er  Dull,  Jacob  Webb,  W^m. 
Webb,  Maurice  O'Connell,  and  Dr.  Cray,  the  present  in- 
cumbent. 

Monroe  County  in  the  General  Assembly. 

Monroe  County  was  represented  in  the  vState  Senate  by 
J  as.  Davis,  Barney  Royston,  H.  E.  Hendershot,  D.  Ander- 
son. Warren  S.  Dungan,  W,  C,  Shippen,  E.  M.  Bills,  Martin 
Read,  A.  C.  Reck,  11.  L.  Dashiell,  A.  A.  Ramsay,  Dr.  Cassatt, 
and  T.  B.  Perry,  the  present  Senator,  elected  from  the  Mon- 
roe-Clarion district 

Fn  the  House  by  Chas.  Anderson,  Wm,  M,  Allison,  N.  P>. 
Preston,  Henrv  Allen,  M.  A.  Goodfellow,  Samuel  Gossage, 
John  Reitzel,  L.  O.  Haskell,  O.  P.  Rowles,  John  Clark,  H.  L. 
Dashiell,  A.  A.  Ramsav,  B.  F.  Elbert,  Jas.  Hilton,  L.  O. 
Fraskell.  A  ^\.  Giltner.  R.  AV.  Duncan,  J.  M.  Robb,  Jas.  Hoge- 
land.  A.  A.  ]?amsay,  J.  C.  R<>binson,  Austin  Jay,  and  D.  H. 
Scott.  '    ■ 

Monroe  County  Ayricultural  Society. 

Tn  a  financial  sense,  the  Monroe  County  Agricultural 
Society  never  i»ros]tered. 

The  siwiety  was  organized  in  18;j'i,  and  the  otticers  were 
Joseph  Sherod,  president:  Wm.  Robinson,  vice  president ; 
V.  K.  Read,  secretary. 

In  1858  Elisha  Hollingshead  was  made  president;  and 
Lewis  Arnold,  John  Castle,  Sr.,  W.  W.  Fall,  E.  P.  Cone, 


162 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 


Michael  Lower,  J.  W.  Boyd,  Andrew  Lamaster,  Gordon 
Pike,  John  Walker,  D,  Gladson,  W.  H.  H.  Lind,  and  Jon- 
athan Hancock  were  made  vice  presidents,  P.  T.  Lambert 
was  corresponding  secretary  and  J.  M.  Humphrey  recording 
secretary;  John  Clark  was  elected  treasurer. 

In  1886  the  society  reorganized  as  a  corporate  body, 
so  as  to  receive  the  annual  fund  appropriated  by  the  State 
to  the  agricultural  societies  of  the  various  counties  in  the 
State. 


Hon.  AUSTIN  JAY,  Ex  REPRESENTAxn  e  of  Monroe  County. 


In  1885  or  1886  the  Society  ceased  to  hold  its  annual 
fairs  and  since  then  the  organization  has  dissolved  as  a 
corporate  body.  The  grounds  on  which  the  fairs  were  held, 
situated  about  a  mile  northeast  of  Albia,  are  now  owned  by 
Mr.  Geo.  Walton,  and  the  inclosing  wall  has  nearly  all 
fallen  down.  The  first  county  fairs  were  held  in  Mock's 
addition  to  the  city  of  Albia,  just  north  of  Dr.  Gutch's 
present  residence. 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA.  ]63 

The  Alhia  Post-Office. 

As  iu  all  other  cities  and  towns  on  the  face  of  the  earth, 
where  there  is  a  postal  system,  the  Albia  post-office  has 
been  a  bone  of  contention  on  every  change  of  administration. 
It  is  the  highest  persimmon  growing  on  the  local  tree  of 
party  patronage,  and  he  who  wields  the  longest  partisan 
pole  invariably  knocks  off  the  coveted  fruit.  Usage  and 
the  finesse  of  political  party  management  have  established 
a  sort  of  ''order  of  succession"  governing  the  aspirant's 
heirship  to  the  post-office. 

The  "heir  apparent"  is  in  most  cases  the  publisher  of  the 
administration  party  organ  of  the  town  or  county  in  which 
the  post-office  is  situated.  He  is  not  only  supposed  to  have 
the  "pull"  on  the  Congressman  of  the  district,  but  is  usually 
the  chairman  of  the  county  central  committee — the  fountain- 
head  from  which  source  all  advantages  in  the  contest  flow. 
The  chairman  of  the  county  committee  makes  the  recom- 
mendation to  the  State  committee  chairman,  or  to  the  mem- 
ber of  Congress,  and  if  the  county  chairman  wants  the  post- 
office — which  he  invariably  does — he  recommends  himself, 
if  he  is  a  shrewd  diplomat.  There  is  only  one  rule  in  the 
game  under  which  this  move  can  be  check-mated.  If  the 
publisher  of  the  paper  has  no  office,  and  wants  the  post- 
office — which  he  invariably  does — the  central  committee 
man  cannot  place  himself  in  check  with  the  publisher  by 
recommending  himself.  The  "divine  rights"  of  these  two 
individuals  are  vested  in  the  equity  of  rewarding  the  news- 
paper man  for  the  martyrdom  he  has  suffered  in  behalf  of 
his  party,  and  in  the  case  of  the  committee  man,  for  his 
faithful  stewardship  as  a  party  worker. 

Thus  it  is  that  the  office  is  seldom  bestowed  on  a  citizen 
on  the  basis  of  genuine  merit  and  business  capacity.  This 
is  why  the  impracticable  plan  of  electing  the  postmaster  by 
popular  vote  is  so  often  urged. 

The  next  step  towards  securing  the  post-office  is  to  start 
a  man  around  with  a  petition  to  secure  the  names  of  persons 
who  are  supposed  to  be  desirous  of  haAing  the  applicant 
appointed.  The  petition  states  in  the  start  that  the  ''under- 
signed subscribers''  are  of  that  party  persuasion  to  which 
the  administration  adheres,  and  it  never  omits  to  wind  up 
with  the  assurance  that  for  the  speedy  appointment  of  the 
candidate  "we.  the  undersigned,  will  ever  pray."  These 
"prayers,"  which  are  rolled  in  upon  the  Postmaster-General, 


164  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

are  scarcely  ever  heard  at  the  appointing  functionary's 
throne  of  grace,  and  the  work  of  securing  the  signatures  is 
usually  a  useless  effort. 

Dudley  C.  Barber  was  the  first  postmaster  at  Albia. 
He  held  the  office  until  1849;  John  Marck  held  until  1851; 
John  Phillips  until  1801;  Wm.  Collins  until  1865;  Jas.  H. 
Morris  until  1866;  Thos.  G.  Craig  held  the  office  for  about 
three  months,  but  was  superseded  by  Mr,  Morris,  who  again 
held  the  office  until  he  was  succeeded  by  Val  Mendel  in 
1877.  In  1882  J.  P.  EaTly  succeeded  Mendel,  and  held  the 
office  until  1886.  A.  J.  Weber,  of  the  Alhia  Democrat,  wa§ 
appointed  by  the  Cleveland  administration,  and  after  some 
months'  delay  in  the  Senate  in  securing  the  confirmation  of 
his  appointment,  he  took  the  office  and  conducted  it  until 
1888,  when  he  resigned  on  the  election  of  Harrison  to  the 
Presidency. 

A.  R.  Barnes  was  ajjpointed  to  the  place  under  Harri- 
son's administration,  and  served  nearly  four  years,  when  he 
was  bounced  for  "intense  j)artisanship,"  by  the  next  Cleve- 
land administration,  a  few  months  before  his  commission 
had  expired. 

In  1881,  when  President  Garfield  was  assassinated,  and 
Chester  A.  Arthur  was  sworn  in  as  President,  J.  P.  Early 
became  an  aspirant  for  the  Albia  post-office,  then  being 
held  by  Val  Mendel,  who  was  appointed  at  the  beginning  of 
Hayes'  term  of  office.  M.  E.  Cutts,  the  member  of  Congress 
from  the  Sixth  District,  declined  to  use  his  influence  in 
behalf  of  either  part}^ — at  least,  it  was  so  understood.  Mr. 
Mendel,  however,  went  to  Washington  and  learned,  as  he 
states,  that  Mr.  Cutts  never  presented  his  petitions  and 
endorsements  to  the  Department.  He  accused  Mr.  Cutts 
of  secretly  furthering  the  interests  of  Mr.  Early.  He  ac- 
cused Hon.  B.  F.  Elbert  with  the  commission  of  all  th(i 
alleged  trickery  resorted  to  in  securing  the  appointment  of 
Early. 

Charges  of  fraud  were  bandied  back  and  forth  from 
one  aspirant  to  the  other,  but  the  general  public  took  little 
interest  in  the  matter,  and  cared  still  less  which  man  got 
the  office.  Both  were  popular  men  in  the  county,  and  each 
represented  a  distinct  faction  of  the  Republican  party  in 
the  county. 

In  this  connection  it  may  not  be  out  of  place  to  note  the 
lack  of  unity  of  the  Republican  party  in  INIonroe  County, 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA.  165 

wliich  has  existed  for  some  years,  and  which  exists  at  the 
present  day.  Sometimes  this  spirit  of  dissension  is  so 
bitter  that  it  has  more  tlian  once  proven  the  instrument  of 
ltrin<iin<i-  defeat  to  the  party. 

On  the  beginning  of  Mr.  Harrison's  term  of  the  Tresi- 
deney,  Mr,  Early  and  A.  R.  Barnes  were  aspirants  for  the 
post-olTice.  Botli  men  secured  a  formidable  list  of  sub- 
scribers to  their  respective  petitions.  The  contest  waxed 
si>  warm  that  ^Ir.  Lacey,  the  UKMuber  of  Congress  from  the 
Sixth  nistiiet,  declined  to  discriminate  in  behalf  of  either 
contestant,  and  tinally  settled  the  dispute  by  visiting  Albia 
and  inducing  the  interested  parties  to  toss  up  a  coin  to  end 
the  contest.  They  tossed,  and  Mr.  Barnes  won  the  place. 
To  alleviate  Mr.  P^arly's  probable  disappointment,  Mr.  Lacey 
secured  for  him  a  Federal  appointment  as  a  special  land 
agent  in  the  West.     He  resigned  the  place  some  time  later. 

This  latter  contest  has  promoted  some  discord  in  the 
Kepublican  ranks  in  the  county,  which  continues  to  the 
present  time,  and  will  no  doubt  be  revived  and  heightened 
should  a  Kepublican  President  be  elected  next  November, 
calling  forth  the  a]>pointment  of  another  postmaster  for 
Albia.  Mr,  Barnes,  it  is  understood,  is  already  in  the 
field,  anticipating  the  election  of  Mr.  McKinley  to  the 
Bresidencv. 


166  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTT,  IOWA. 

CHAPTER  X. 

Banks  and  Bank  Failures. 

During  the  early  'OOs  N.  W.  Brown,  D.  Steele,  and  his 
brother  H.  K.  Steele  established  a  bank  of  deposit  at  Albia. 
The  concern  did  a  general  banking  business  under  the  old 
Iowa  State  banking  statute.  Brown  was  president,  D. 
Steele  treasurer,  and  H.  K.  Steele  cashier.  The  practical 
management  of  the  concern,  however,  seems  to  have  been 
under  the  cashier. 

In  1870  the  funds  on  deposit  iu  the  bank  disappeared 
and  H.  K.  Steele  left  for  parts  unknown.  The  funds  on 
deposit  were  chiefly  the  small  savings  of  private  individuals, 
and  the  amount  aggregated  about  |25,000.  Nearly  every- 
body who  had  acciunulated  a  little  surplus  money  had 
placed  it  in  this  bank,  and  when  the  concern  went  down, 
there  was  great  excitement. 

Israel  Mills,  one  of  the  largest  depositors,  went  in  pur- 
suit of  Steele,  and  arrested  him  at  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  and 
brought  him  back  to  Albia.  Here  Mr.  Steele  promised  his 
creditors  that  he  would  disgorge  the  embezzled  funds. 
Some  of  his  creditors  arranged  with  his  custodian,  Mr.  Mills, 
that  the  prisoner  be  driven  to  the  court-room,  where  negotia- 
tions looking  towards  a  settlement  were  to  be  arranged. 
Steele  feigned  sickness,  but  he  was  loaded  into  a  sled  and 
started  for  the  court-house,  but  while  emerging  on  the 
Square  the  sled  was  boarded  by  a  crowd  of  creditors  and 
the  entire  party  was  driven  rapidly  out  of  town.  Mr.  Mills, 
who  had  Steele  in  custody,  was  forcibly  ejected  from  the 
sled.  The  sleighing  party  drove  to  the  residence  of  Thomas 
Brandon,  in  Franklin  Township,  but,  being  pursued  by 
Sheriff  McDonald  and  posse,  pushed  farther  to  the  south- 
west and  entered  Wayne  County. 

Steele  made  some  satisfactory  verbal  promises  to  his 
custodians,  and  he  was  brought  back  to  the  custody  of  Mr. 
Mills.  He  then  went  back  on  his  promises,  and  finally  was 
arraigned  on  a  charge  of  perjury  and  obtaining  money  under 
false  pretenses. 

He  was  never  punished  for  his  crimes.  The  people 
never  recovered  their  money,  and  Mr.  Steele  spent  the 
remainder  of  his  days  in  Albia. 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA.  167 

Mr.  Steele  laid  tlie  blame  on  the  president  of  the  bank, 
and  pi'obabl}'  on  this  account  escaped  conviction.  The 
bank  president,  iu  turn,  shifted  the  responsibility  on  Wag- 
staff  &  Company,  bankers,  of  New  York,  It  was  a  clever 
piece  of  thievery,  and  Mr.  Steele  never  succeeded  in  living 
down  the  calumny  which  clung  to  liis  name. 

A  part  of  the  embezzled  funds  belonged  to  one  or 
more  of  the  churches.  He  made  no  discrimination,  but 
seized  every  cent  he  could  get  his  hands  on,  and  held  it  to 
the  last,  even  at  the  risk  of  being  lynched  by  an  outraged 
c(»mmunity. 

The  next  bank  failure  occurred  in  1883.  The  Monroe 
('ounty  Bank,  which  was  established  at  Albia  on  March  15, 
1875,  by  T.  S.  Tharp  &  Company  as  a  joint  stock  company, 
was  instituted  on  a  solid  basis,  so  far  as  the  financial 
backing  of  its  stockholders  was  concerned.  It  was  not 
begun  as  an  incorpoiated  banking  institution  under  the 
State  bjuiking  laws.  Its  correspondents  were  Geo.  Opdyke 
&  Company,  New  York,  and  the  First  National  Bank  of 
(Jhieago.  Its  stockholders  were  T.  S.  Tharp,  D.  M.  Miller, 
Lewis  Miller,  W.  INI.  Tharp,  Jas.  Elder,  Zadoc  Chedister, 
P'red  Seifert,  N.  E.  Hendrix,  John  Thompson,  J.  B.  Bell,  L. 
S.  Chedister,  Nelson  Gillespie,  B.  P.  Tharp,  Cyrus  Kerr,  J. 
B.  Turner,  A.  M.  Andrews,  Clendenin  Boggs,  Geo.  P.  Cramer, 
H.  Hickenlooper,  Robt.  Simpson,  Geo.  Kerr,  Martin  Clever, 
.7.  A.  Edwards,  J.  M.  Kicliardson,  Parmenus  Tuttle,  Dr.  J. 
H.  Kussell,  B.  Fritz,  T.  E.  Bower,  Dr.  T.  H.  Elder,  Monroe 
Miller,  M.  R.  Miller,  J.  Baldauf  &  Companv,  and  Henry 
Miller. 

Various  changes  were  made  iu  its  management  from 
time  to  time.  T.  S.  Thar])  retired  from  the  concern  before 
its  fall.  At  about  the  time  of  its  dissolution  Lewis  Miller 
was  president,  -lohn  (J!lemons  vice-president,  and  Dan'l  M. 
Miller  cashier.  Lewis  Miller,  .lohn  E.  Carhart,  D.  Miller, 
Zadoc  Chedister,  John  Clemons,  -J.  D.  Shields,  L.  O.  Haskell, 
(Jyrus  Kerr  and  Matthew  Elder  were  its  board  of  directors. 

The  bank  claimed  a  capital  stack  of  f5(),000,  and  a  sur- 
]>lus  of  ^10,000  just  j)rior  to  its  collapse. 

The  board  of  directors  was  com])Osed  of  men  who  had 
no  knowledge  of  bauking  uiethods,  and  it  was  an  easy  uiatter 
for  the  cashier,  Mr.  Miller,  to  so  juggle  the  books  that  the 
board  of  directors  did  not  suspect  any  croc'iedness.  The 
directors  had  implicit  confidence  in  Mr.  Miller's  honesty  and 


168  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

competency,  and  probably  never  took  the  pains  to  make  a 
close  scrutiny  into  the  affairs  of  the  bank,. 

In  December,  1882,  Edward  A.  Temple  was  appointed 
receiver  of  the  bank,  the  concern  in  the  meantime  having 
made  an  assignment  in  favor  of  J.  A.  P^d wards.  In  April, 
1S88,  Mr,  Temple  made  to  the  District  Conrt  the  following: 

KECKIVEK'S  REPORT. 

LiahlHtles. 

(Jlaims  tiled  with  receiver  to  April  1,  181)8 |190,014  SO 

Assets. 

Cash  collected  by  assignee |2,591  02 

Cash  collected  by  receiver 2,307  44 

|4,898  40 

Bills  receivable |53,555  88 

Less  probable  loss  on  same 45,097  00 

18,458  88 
Less  collections 4,898  4G 

Leaving  available  bills  receivable 3,560  42 

Ft.  Scott  and  Gulf  Ky,  stock  estimated  at  80  cents .  800  00 
Amounts  available  for  dividends  and  expenses.  .  9,258  88 
Bills  receivable  held  as  collateral  (a  large  portion 

of  which  is  held  to  be  forged  paper) 24,889  00 

Overdrafts  (mostly  against  certiticates  of  deposit 

held  by  creditors) 9,307  30 

Bank  buildings  and  fixtures  at  cost |12,500 

Less  incumbrance,  say 8,500 

4,000  00 

Other  real  estate |10,000 

Less  say 7,000 

3,000  00 

100  shares  mining  stock,  Co.  stock — no  value. 

80  shares  A,,  K,  &  D,  R,  R.  stock — no  value. 

Bills  receivable,  but  which,  according  to  the 
books,  have  never  been  paid,  but  missing 
from  the  assets  of  the  bank 33,421  84 

Total  assets $50,455  18 

Deficit $139,589  71 


nrSTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA.  169 

In  the  foui-  years  and  nine  months  of  the  bank's  existence 
it  appears  that  it  lost  over  |ir),0()0;  notwithstanding  this  loss, 
the  concern  declared  dividends  and  createtl  a  surplus  fund. 
There  was  actually  a  shortage  in  the  cashier's  accounts, 
after  allowing  for  all  credits,  still  unaccountable  for,  to  the 
amount  of  |1(;:?,025.29.  \\hile  the  books  of  the  bank  showed 
the  assets  in  bills  receivable  lo  be  about  |7-t,0()0,  and  the 
liabilities  on  certiticates  of  de]»i)sit  to  be  only  about  |i.'!(>,t)0O, 
the  real  facis  were  that  the  assests  were  only  about  |14,()0(>, 
and  the  liabilities  on  certificates  of  deposit  to  be  about 
:if  142.0(H).  As  additional  liabilities,  there  were  bills  payable, 
sold,  and  cash  received  to  the  amount  of  |27,500,  of  Avhich 
there  was  no  entry  on  the  books  of  the  bank.  The  books 
of  the  bank  showed  that  the  ctishier  had  paid  out,  up  to 
October  11,  1882,  the  sum  of  |4,129.52  more  cash  than  be 
had  received  up  to  that  date.  He  evidently  failed  in  many 
instances  to  give  credit  where  cash  was  received. 

Tlie  condition  of  the  bank  was  found  to  be  in  such  a 
tangled  condition  that  it  is  impossible  to  give  a  detailed 
statement  of  the  wreck,  within  this  limited  space.  The 
story  is  one  of  mismanagement  and  gross  corruption.  It 
is  a  story  of  forgery  and  embezzlement  committed  by  the 
cashier  without  the  knowledge  of  the  other  officers  of  the 
bank. 

Mr.  Miller,  the  cashier,  was  arrested,  convicted  of  em- 
bezzlement, forgery,  and  fraud,  and  sentenced  to  seven  years 
at  hard  labor  in  the  penitentiary  at  Fort  Madison,  Iowa, 
He  served  out  his  term,  less  the  usual  time  commuted  for 
good  behavior.  At  one  time  he  was  one  of  the  most  popular 
men  in  Monroe  County,  and  save  his  complicity  in  the  bank 
alfair,  led  a  strictly  moral  and  upright  life,  so  far  as  gener- 
ally known.  Since  his  release  from  the  penitentiary  he  has 
resided  in  Kan.sas. 

The  First  National  Bank  ofAlbia  is  the  oldest  bank  now 
doing  business  in  Monroe  Count}',  and  for  many  years  has 
transacted  probably  three-fourths  of  tlie  banking  business 
of  the  {'ounty.  It  was  staited  January  7,  1871,  by  J.  H. 
Drake  as  president,  and  K.  F.  Elbert  as  cashier.  The  board 
of  directors  consisted  of  .John  A.  Drake,  John  H.  Drake.  An- 
drew^ Trussell.  John  B.  Lockman,  B.  F.  Elbert  T.  8.  Tharp, 
Job  P.  Jay.  It  began  with  a  capital  stock  of  f 50,000,  and  has 
always  weathered  through  periods  of  financial  unrest  with- 
out anv  embarrassment. 


170  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

In  1885  B,  F.  Elbert  retired  from  the  bank  as  cashier, 
and  was  succeeded  by  Thos.  D.  Lockman,  who  for  ten  years 
previous  had  beeii  with  the  bank,  as  assistant  cashier.  Mr, 
Lockman  still  discharges  the  duties  of  cashier,  and  is  assisted 
by  Mr.  Koy  Alford. 

The  institution  at  present  has  a  surplus  fund  of  |30,000, 
and  its  non-interest-bearing  deposits  exceed  |150,000.  A 
large  majority  of  the  stock  remains  in  the  Drake  family, 
where  it  has  existed  since  the  creation  of  the  bank. 

A  sh3rt  time  after  the  failure  of  the  Monroe  County 
Bank,  the  Albia  National  Bank  was  established  in  Albia  on 
the  northwest  corner  of  the  Square,,  where  the  First  National 
Jiank  is  located  at  present.  Wm.  Bradley,  of  Centerville, 
Iowa,  was  president  of  the  concern,  Captain  W.  F.  Vermil- 
lion vice-president,  and  J.  K.  Hays  cashier.  It  was  a  sound 
and  well-conducted  institution,  but  it  never  prospered.  The 
local  patronage  was  not  sufficient  to  maintain  two  banks, 
and  in  three  or  four  years  the  enterprise  was  abandoned. 

The  Albia  State  Bank  was  established  at  Albia,  March 
20, 1891,  by  Judge  11.  H.  Trimble,  of  Davis  County,  Iowa,  and 
Senator  T.  B.  Perry,  with  an  authorized  capital  stock  of 
150,000.  S.  W.  Pennington,  a  son-in-law  of  Mr.  Perry,  has, 
from  its  beginning,  acted  as  cashier.  The  institution,  while 
enjoying  a  fair  degree  of  prosperity,  does  not  transact  a  large 
volume  of  evei'y-day  routine  business.  The  concern  is  never 
without  an  abundance  of  funds,  and  its  management  is  safe 
and  reliable. 

Thos.  Brandon  for  many  yeai's  has  conducted  a  local 
banking  business  at  Melrose,  Iowa,  on  a  limited  scale.  His 
banking  operations  are  chiefly  restricted  to  exchange,  loans, 
and  discounts.  The  concern  is  on  a  sound  financial  footing, 
and  is  of  great  advantage  to  the  town. 

Trussell  &  Eslinger,  at  Foster,  Iowa,  act  as  an  auxiliary 
of  the  First  National  Bank  of  Albia  in  the  exchange  busi- 
ness; and  Chamberlin  &  Carson,  of  the  same  place,  are 
correspondents  of  a  large  Chicago  banking  house. 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA.  171 


CHAPTER  XL 

Judge  Lynch  and  Criminal  Matters. 

Notwitlistandiug  the  oft-repeated  assertions  of  senti- 
niejitalists  that  there  >yas  less  crime  committed  in  the  good 
old  pioneer  days,  it  remains  a  hard,  unrefuted  fact  that  there 
was  actually  more  lawlessness  in  pioneer  days,  in  proportion 
to  the  population,  than  now. 

Education,  which  goes  a  long  way  towai'ds  subduing  the 
ranker,  unrestrained  human  passions,  had  not  so  wide  a 
spread  as  now.  and  while  there  were  really  not  many  flagrant 
criminals  in  the  community,  guilty  of  the  higher  crimes,  the 
dockets  of  justices  of  the  peace  were  crowded  with  records 
of  neighborhood  broils,  assault  ajid  battery,  hog-stealing, 
burglary,  and  now  and  then  an  attempt  to  commit  murder. 

The  first  murder  in  the  county  was  committed  by  James 
Gordon,  on  the  29th  of  September,  1854.  On  the  morning 
of  that  date  Gordon  used  some  otfensive  language  to  his 
sister.  Gordon's  step-father,  Thos.  Arnold,  ordered  the 
formei-  to  leave  the  house.  Gordon  delayed,  and  Arnold 
seized  his  gun  and  attempted  to  drive  him  out,  when  Gordon 
stabbed  him  twice,  once  in  the  side  and  once  in  the  abdomen. 
Arnold  died  in  a  few  hours,  and  Gordon  fled.  He  was  over- 
taken and  captured  by  Sheriff  Porter  and  posse,  and  brought 
back  to  Monroe  County  for  trial.  He  stood  his  trial  for  com- 
mitment, under  Scjuire  Teas,  on  the  charge  of  attempting  to 
commit  murder.  He  was  released  on  §800  bail  for  his  ap- 
pearance in  court,  and  later  was  acquitted  on  sustaining  a 
plea  of  self-defense.  The  crime  was  committed  about  five 
miles  southeast  of  Albia,  on  a  farm  now  owned  by  John 
Ha  Her. 

The  follow'ing  is  a  sample  of  the  criminal  dockets  of 
those  days,  and  was  the  docket  of  State  cases  in  the  May 
term  of  the  District  C^ourt  of  186G. 

State  of  Iowa  rs.  A.  M.  Myers,  charged  with  murder  in 
the  second  degree;  change  of  venue  from  ^fahaska  County. 

State  of  Iowa  rs.  Thos.  Barker,  attempt  to  commit  rape; 
continued,  the  defendant  not  having  been  arrested. 

State  of  Iowa  rs.  D.  P.  Clay  and  Jacob  Hull,  larceny; 
continued. 


172  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

State  of  Iowa  vs.  Moses  Cousins,  Jr.,  and  W.  B.  Cousins, 
keeping  intoxicating  liquors  with  intent  to  sell  in  violation 
of  law. 

State  of  Towa  vs.  Chas.  Ross,  assault  with  intent  to  com- 
mit murder. 

►State  of  Iowa.  vs.  Darcus  Billings,  abandoning  a  human 
cliihl;  continued  as  above. 

State  of  Iowa  vs.  Samuel  Einehart,  perjury;  acquitted. 

State  of  Iowa  vs.  Jas.  A.  B.  Sims  and  Geo.  Edwai'ds, 
laiceny;  continued. 

State  of  Iowa  vs.  Jas.  W.  Atkinson,  assault  with  intent 
to  commit  murder;  acquitted. 

State  of  Iowa  vs.  Jas.  Austin,  nuisance,  keeping  intoxi- 
cating liquors:  indictment. 

vState  of  Iowa  vs.  JNfartin  Cone,  petit  juror,  fined  |10  for 
contempt  of  court,  for  disrespectful  language;  fine  remitted. 

Not  long  afterwards,  Cla^^,  who  is  mentioned  in  the  fore- 
going docket,  stole  a  horse  from  Thomas  Forster,  residing  a 
few  miles  west  of  Blakesburg.  Mr.  Forster  and  Mr.  Thayer, 
now  of  Avery,  and  a  member  of  the  Monroe  County  Vigilance 
Committee,  tracked  the  thief  into  Missouri  and  captured  him 
at  Ca.lla.tin.  Thayer  started  home  with  him  and  Forster  re- 
mained at  Gallatin  in  search  of  his  horse.  Thayer  placed 
his  prisoner  on  the  horse  which  Forster  had  ridden  to  Galla- 
tin, and  had  his  feet  tied  together  underneath  his  horse. 
When  approaching  Albia  near  the  Coa,l  Creek  bridge,  three 
miles  southwest  of  town,  two  men  sprang  out  of  the  bushes 
and  handed  Clay  a  revolver.  Clay  struck  Thayer  a  murder- 
ous blow  on  the  side  of  the  face,  which  knocked  him  from 
his  horse.  Thayer  still  wears  the  scar.  Clay  then  made  his 
escape.  Clay  was  a  chum  of  Jake  Hull,  the  Gibsons,  Garrett 
Thompson,  and  others. 

In  September,  1866,  James  Austin,  who  ran  a  grocery 
and  saloon  in  Albia,  on  the  south  side  of  the  Square,  shot 
and  killed  Thos.  Davis  in  the  former's  saloon  in  a  quarrel  over 
two  glasses  of  beer.  Austin  was  finally  acquitted  on  estab- 
lishing a  plea  of  self-defense.  His  case  was  tried  at  Center- 
ville  on  an  indictment  for  murder  in  the  second  degree. 

In  November,  1866,  two  young  men  by  the  name  of 
Wiley,  wiio  lived  on  Cedar  Creek,  and  who  had  been  indicted 
by  the  District  Court  for  stealing  cattle,  made  their  escape 
from  the  custody  of  J.  L.  Duncan,  who  was  guarding  them  at 
his  residence.     They  were  handcuffed  and  chained  together, 


HISTORY  OF  MO\NOE  COUNTY,  IOWA.  173 

wheu  they  escaped,  and,  making  their  way  to  Cedar  Creek 
durin*;  tlie  night,  in  some  way  succeeded  in  breaking  their 
shackles.  They  secreted  themselves  in  a  coal-bank  near 
their  father's  premises.  The  latter,  discovering  them, 
brought  them  to  Albia  and  delivered  them  over  to  the 
authorities.  They  were  sentenced  to  the  penitentiary  for 
six  months. 

On  the  night  of  September  21,  1868,  Chas.  Brandon,  of 
Mahaska  County,  was  taken  to  the  woods  and  hanged  by  a 
crowd  of  Vigilantes  from  Monroe  County.  Brandon  was 
accused  of  horse-stealing.  An  action  was  instituted  in  court 
for  $10,000  against  the  lynchers,  and  |800  damages  awarded. 
The  defendants  were  Reuben  Way,  Daniel  C.  Gladson,  Mat- 
thew ]\raddox,.  B.  F.  Deats,  Lewis  Maddox,  Wm.  Martin,  Jas. 
Hoagland,  Geo.  Neal,  and  Wesley  May. 

On  August  5,  18G9,  Thos.  S.  Hulligen,  proprietor  of  the 
Gilmore  mill  at  the  hamlet  of  Urbana,  in  Urbana  Townshi]), 
was  fatally  stabbed  by  Geo.  W.  Wallace.  Wallace  and  Jeff 
Hawk,  the  latter  the  engineer  attending  the  mill  machinery, 
got  into  an  altercation,  and  in  the  quarrel  the  former  kicked 
Hawk  in  the  face.  Hawk  armed  himself  with  a  carpenter's 
mallet,  when  Hulligen  interposed  and  ordered  Wallace  to 
leave  the  mill.  Wallace  refused,  and  Hulligen  seized  him 
and  attempted  to  eject  him,  and  while  in  the  act  of  thrusting 
him  through  the  door,  Wallace  stabbed  Hulligen  in  the 
breast.  Hulligen  then  released  his  hold,  and,  seizing  a  club, 
struck  Wallace  a  blow  on  the  head.  Wallace  again  stabbed 
his  victim,  and  was  again  struck  by  Ihe  club  in  the  hands  of 
the  wounded  man.  Hulligen  died  in  a  few  hours,  and  tlie 
mui-derer  escaped,  but  was  soon  captured.  He  was  tried  on 
a  charge  of  murder  in  the  first  degree,  and  was  sentenced  to 
seven  years  in  the  penitentiary,  where  he  served  out  his  term. 

Tn  1800  Boss  and  ^fann.  two  notorious  horse-thieves, 
wei-e  sentenced  to  the  penitentiary  at  Ft.  ^Madison.  Boss 
was  sent  up  for  five  years  and  ^fann  for  two  years. 

The  most  noted  chapter,  however,  of  this  reign  of  terror, 
when  Monroe  County  and  adjoining  counties  were  overrun 
by  a  gang  of  horse-thieves,  was  th(»  lynching  of  Garrett 
Thompson  by  Monroe  County  Vigilantes  in  June.  1800. 
During  that  year,  and  for  thi-ee  or  four  years  previous,  the 
settlers  lived  in  a  constant  dread  of  an  organized  band  of 
outlaws,  whose  operations  extended  over  Illinois,  southern 
Iowa,  and  Missouri.     The  most  notorious  of  these  criminals 


174  HISTORY  OF  MOM  ROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

was  Garrett  Thompson,  He  and  several  others  of  the  gang 
had  drifted  into  Iowa  at  the  close  of  the  war,  and  had  been 
active  in  the  guerrilla  movement  on  the  Missouri  border, 
where  they  had  full  opportunity  to  ply  their  lawless  calling 
while  under  the  disguise  of  auxiliaries  of  the  Confederate 
army  of  Missouri.  So  thoroughly  organized  was  this  gang 
that  the  civil  authorities  were  unable  to  capture  them,  or 
to  bring  them  to  justice  whenever  the  Vigilantes  succeeded 
in  making  an  arrest.  The  committee  finally  concluded  to 
mete  out  summary  justice  to  the  next  thief  that  fell  into 
their  hands. 

On  the  night  of  June  13,  1866,  James  McFadden  had  a 
fine  span  of  horses  stolen ;  and  on  the  night  of  the  16th  Mr. 
Woodruff  was  robbed  of  |90  in  money;  and  on  the  next  night 
E.  M.  Bill  had  a  horse  stolen,  together  with  one  belonging 
to. Benjamin  Ashbury.  Not  long  previous,  Henry  Wilson 
had  a  horse  stolen  and  never  recovered;  also  a  horse  was 
stolen  from  Mrs.  Taylor,  a  neighbor  of  Wilson  and  the 
widow  of  Jas.  Taylor,  of  the  Thirty-sixth  Iowa  Infantry, 
who  was  captured  at  Mark's  Mills  and  who  died  in  prison 
at  Tyler,  Texas,  On  the  same  night  that  Ashbury's  horse 
was  stolen,  saddles  and  bridles  were  stolen  from  Robert 
Buchanan.  A  short  time  previous,  a  wagon  was  stolen 
from  Mr.  Joseph  Bone. 

At  this  juncture  the  Vigilance  Committee  began  a 
systematic  hunt  for  the  outlaws.  They  started  out  in  every 
direction  of  the  compass,  determined  to  ride  for  two  days, 
and  if  in  that  length  of  time  any  trace  of  the  thieves  could 
be  found,  they  resolved  to  follow  in  pursuit  until  a  capture 
was  made.  One  squad  of  the  pursuers  struck  the  trail 
between  Albia  and  Blakesburg,  and  followed  the  fugitives 
into  Van  Buren  County,  where  they  lost  the  trail. 

Suspicion  finally  rested  on  Garrett  Thompson,  who 
lived  about  four  miles  west  of  Blakesburg,  where  the 
Christian  church  now  stands,  close  by  the  Center  school- 
house  in  Urbana  Township.  Thompson  was  absent  when 
the  horses  were  stolen,  and  returned  with  a  new  wagon  a 
week  later.  He  told  several  conflicting  stories  concerning 
how  he  came  in  possession  of  the  wagon.  It  was  also 
discovered  that  Thompson's  daughter,  Mrs,  Ellen  Ellis,  stole 
the  Bone  wagon,  assisted  by  Harrison  Gibson,  The  wagon 
was  tracked  to  the  residence  of  Mr.  McWilliams,  in  Missouri. 

As  the  Vigilance  Committee  had  come  into  possession 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA.  175 

of  siifllcient  evidence  to  hold  Thompson  in  custody,  they 
arrested  him,  tofjether  with  Thomas  Smith,  Harrison  Gibson, 
John  Hull,  Hiram  Hull,  and  the  two  Hill  brothers,  of 
fWapello  County.  Thompson  was  arrested  near  Blakes- 
burj;  while  attempting-  to  make  his  way  to  Missouri.  Smith 
was  arrested  the  same  night,  in  Albia. 

Thom])son  was  brought  to  Albia  and  guarded  by  Sherirt' 
McDonald  in  a  building  where  the  Vnion  office  now  stands. 
His  arrest  attracted  a  large  crowd.  The  Sheriff  had  his 
prisoner  in  the  front  room,  and  while  Colonel  Anderson  was 
cross-questioning  him,  the  room  began  to  fill  with  spectators. 
Finally,  the  Sheriff,  seeming  to  realize  that  there  was  some- 
thing significant  in  the  movement  of  the  crowd,  placed  his 
man  farther  in  the  rear,  and  seeing  Mart  Giltner  and  a  few 
others  making  a  stealthy  forward  movement,  McDonald 
sprang  to  his  feet,  and,  drawing  a  large  revolver,  ordered 
the  crowd  to  stand  back.  At  the  same  time  Thompson 
began  shouting  to  the  crowd  that  if  they  hanged  him,  they 
would  be  hanging  an  innocent  man. 

The  crowd  then  seized  Thompson  and  started  out  of 
town  with  him.  When  near  the  fair-grounds,  where  Dr. 
dutch's  residence  now  stands,  they  had  wagons  in  waiting 
to  carry  all  to  the  timber.  While  the  mob  was  en  route  on 
foot  to  the  wagons,  the  Sheriff  stepped  into  the  street  and 
commanded  the  bystanders  to  "fall  in."  Some  obeyed  the 
order,  and  a  small  posse  was  organized  to  pursue  and  rescue 
the  prisoner  from  the  mob. 

(leo,  Cromer,  a  harness  dealer  and  a  pugnacious  spirit, 
who  was  with  the  mob,  seeing  the  Sheriff  rallying  his  posse 
in  the  rear,  ran  back  and  charged  upon  the  posse.  Captain 
John  Porter,  who  liad  been  conscripted  into  the  posse, 
squared  oft"  for  a  fight  with  Cromer.  The  w-arlike  motions 
of  the  two  belligerents  attracted  the  attention  of  the  rescu- 
ing party,  and  the  prisoner  was  forgotten.  In  the  meantime 
the  mob  had  loaded  the  prisoner  into  a  wagon  and  were  on 
their  way  to  Avery  Creek. 

They  jntched  tent  at  a  point  about  six  miles  southeast 
of  Albia,  in  the  woods,  close  to  where  Samuel  Miller  lived  for 
many  years.  Messengers  were  sent  out  in  every  direction 
to  summon  the  populace.  The  other  prisoners  were  brought 
on  the  grounds  and  closely  guarded. 

About  500  people  had  assembled  by  noon  of  the  next 
day.     A  sort  of  court  was  improvised  on  the  grounds,  under 


176  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

an  elm-tree.  A  chairman  was  appointed,  and  the  sense  of 
the  meeting  was  taken,  which  was  that  a  Jury  of  twelve 
good  men  be  impaneled  to  try  the  prisoners.  A  marshal 
was  chosen,  who  excluded  all  boys  from  the  grounds,  and 
persons  of  a  suspicious  character.  He  w^as  also  instructed 
to  preserve  order  and  prohibit  profane  or  boisterous  lan- 
guage. 

The  jury  was  then  called,  and  the  witnesses  and  the 
prisoner  brought  forward.  After  a  thorough  examination, 
the  jury  retired,  and,  after  careful  deliberation,  returned  a 
verdict  of  ''Horse-stealing  and  other  outrages — viz.,  house- 
burning  and  murder." 

Then  the  foreman  arose  and  in  a  loud  voice,  which 
reechoed  throughout  the  still  forest,  announced  to  the  vast 
thi"ong  the  verdict.  A  motion  was  then  made  that  "Grarrett 
Thomi)Son  be  hanged  by  the  neck  until  he  is  dead."  Some 
one  then  made  a  motion  to  amend,  so  that  the  prisoner  be 
simply  tarred  and  feathered.  This  latter  motion  was  finally 
withdrawn,  and  the  original  motion  carried  with  but  one 
dissenting  voice. 

A  committee  of  ten  was  then  appointed  to  notify  the 
prisoner  of  his  sentence.  He  was  given  twenty  minutes  to 
confess  or  to  make  any  statements.  He  refused  to  divulge 
anything,  and  the  time  was  extended  to  forty  minutes;  he 
still  refused  to  confess,  seeming  to  be  under  the  impression 
that  the  people  were  trying  simply  to  frighten  him. 

Then  they  began  to  attach  a  rope  to  a  branch  of  the 
tree,  and  a  wagon  was  wheeled  under  it.  The  prisoner  was 
ordered  to  get  into  the  wagon;  he  did  not  comply,  and  was 
lifted  in  by  the  crowd.  He  still  believed  their  movements 
were  but  a  ruse  to  frighten  him  into  a  confession.  A  goods- 
box  was  placed  upon  the  wagon,  and  he  was  told  to  mount 
it,  after  the  wagon  had  been  wheeled  directly  under  the 
tree.  He  refused  to  mount,  and"  Andy  Stamm  stepped 
brusquely  forward,  and.  addressing  him,  exclaimed:  "G — d 
d — n  you!  get  up  and  die  like  a  man."  He  was  placed  upon 
the  box,  and  a  member  of  the  Mgilantes  adjusted  the  noose. 
Even  then  the  prisoner  exhibited  no  anxiety,  still  hoping 
to  be  released  at  the  last  moment.  D.  H.  Scott  then  offered 
a  fer\'ent  7)rayer  for  the  salvation  of  the  soul  about  to  be 
launched  into  eternity. 

When  Mr.  Scott  began  the  prayer,  Thompson  then 
realized  for  the  first  time  the  seriousness  of  the  situation. 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA.  177 

He  said  that  if  they  would  grant  liim  a  little  time,  he  would 
try  to  divulge  something.  Time  was  given,  but  at  the 
expiration  of  forty  minutes  he  divulged  nothing.  The  other 
prisoners  were  then  brought  forward,  and  placed  in  a  row 
in  front  of  the  gallows.  To  them  it  was  a  moment  of 
terrible  suspense.  They  did  not  know  but  what  they,  too, 
would  be  executed  next.  The  wagon  was  then  pushed  fram 
under  the  tree,  and  while  it  was  in  motion,  and  the  doomed 
man  was  clinging  on  it  with  but  the  tips  of  his  toes  toucliing 
it,  he  muttered  that  he  had  killed  one  man.  The  next  instant 
the  wagon  passed  from  under  him,  and  the  huge  body  of 
the  ilissourian  dropped  with  a  thud.  At  the  same  time  a 
swarm  of  caterpillars,  or  "measuring-worms,"  dropped  from 
the  overhanging  branches,  suspended  by  their  webs,  as  if 
in  mimicry  of  the  horrible  tragedy. 

The  other  prisoners  were  withdrawn,  and  the  crowd 
dispersed,  save  a  few  who  remained  to  assist  the  son  and 
wife  of  the  executed  outlaw  to  lift  the  body  into  their 
wagon.  AVhen  this  was  done,  the  wife  and  sou  drove  ofl" 
with  the  body,  vowing  vengeance  on  the  citizens.  They 
went  towards  Eddyville,  and  told  the  settlers  along  the  way 
that  their  relative  had  fallen  out  of  the  wagon  and  that  a 
wheel  of  the  wagon  had  run  over  his  neck  and  broken  it.  All 
the  other  ju-isoners  wer(>  released,  except  Tom  Smith,  who 
turned  Stale's  evidence  and  thus  saved  his  neck.  Smith 
was  a  Monroe  r'ounty  soldier,  and  had  some  friends  among 
the  soldiers,  who  had  known  him  as  an  inoffensive  man.  It 
was  probably  largely  due  to  their  influence  that  he  escaped 
the  doom  of  Thompson. 

ITe  afterwards  admitted  his  complicity  in  horse-stealing, 
but  stated  that  for  two  years  he  did  not  know  he  was 
handling  stolen  hoi'ses.  He  spent  the  remainder  of  his  lif(^ 
in  Albia,  and  regained  the  respect  and  confidence  of  the 
community. 

At  a  later  meeting  of  the  Vigilance  Committee,  in  -Tunc 
1866,  a  note  was  ju-esented  and  read  incriminating  David 
Marvey  and  John  Foster,  two  sus]ncions  characters  living 
near  Orleans,  a  small  village  in  .^ppanonsc  County,  near  the 
State  line.  A  committee  of  three  was  detailed  to  go  and 
arrest  these  two  men,  and  in  obedience  to  their  instructions 
they  went  to  the  vicinity  of  Orleans,  and  learned  that  two 
men  had  been  seen  near  Drakeville  riding  suspicious-look- 
ing horses.     The  parties  were  arrested,  and  twenty  or  more 


178  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY.  IOWA. 

of  the  citizens  of  Davis  County  volunteered  to  escort  the  men 
Avith  their  captives  to  Monroe  County.  The  prisoners  were 
placed  on  horseback,  and  the  same  evening  the  troop  arrived 
at  the  residence  of  Wm.  Stoops.  As  it  threatened  rain,  the 
prisoners  were  taken  to  jjrivate  residences  and  guarded  until 
the  next  morning.  In  the  morning,  the  populace  were  noti- 
fied of  the  arrests,  and  hundreds  gathered  on  the  grounds. 

A  motion  was  made  that  a  committee  of  three  be  ap- 
pointed to  wait  on  the  prisoners  separately,  and  to  receive 
any  confessions  which  they  might  be  induced  to  make.  They 
were  to  assure  the  men  that  if  they  made  a  clear,  plausible 
confession  of  all  their  thefts  which  would  implicate  others 
engaged  with  them,  and  also  lead  to  the  recovery  of  stolen 
property,  they  would  be  turned  over  to  the  civil  authorities 
to  stand  trial  by  due  course  of  law,  instead  of  being  lynched 
on  the  spot.  The  prisoners  confessed  to  the  stealing  of 
twenty  or  thirty  horses  and  several  hundred  sheep.  The 
prisoners  were  then  delivered  to  the  sheriff  of  Davis  County, 
together  with  a  copy  of  their  confession. 

At  this  meeting  of  the  committee  K.  B.  Arnold  sug- 
gested that  John  Hull,  who  had  been  arrested  with  Thomj)- 
son,  but  who  had  been  acquitted  through  a  lack  of  sufficient 
evidence  against  him,  be  brought  before  the  committee  to 
explain  for  what  purpose  he  and  Harrison  Gibson  had  pur- 
chased a  quantity  of  nitric  acid.  It  was  confessed  that  they 
had  given  the  acid  to  Garrett  Thompson,  who  had  used'  it  in 
burning  the  foreheads  of  a  couple  of  horses  which  had  been 
taken  up  by  Mr.  Selby,  of  Urbana  Township,  and  which 
were  supposed  to  have  been  stolen  and  turned  loose  by 
Thompson.  By  applying  the  acid,  white  spots  could  be  pro- 
duced in  the  face  of  a  dark-colored  animal,  thus  concealing 
its  identity.  The  horses  were  produced  on  the  grounds  as 
evidence.     Hull  was  theu  released  from  custody. 

When  Tom  Smith  was  arrested  and  confined  in  the  Ot- 
tumwa  jail,  Isaac  Watson,  E.  M.  Bill,  and  A.  M.  Giltner  vis- 
ited him  and  obtained  a  full  confession.  He  stated  that  the 
Hulls  were  the  most  active  and  desperate  horse-thieves  of 
the  band.  He  also  stated  that  Thomas  Forster's  stolen  team 
was  down  in  ■Missouri,,  near  where  D.  P.  Clay  and  Jake  Hull 
were  living.  Forster  then  went  to  Missouri  and  recovered 
his  team,  which  he  had  not  seen  for  nearly  two  years. 
Smith  also  made  other  important  disclosures  which  satisfied 
the  Vigilantes  that  his  statements  were  true. 


HISTORY  OF  MONIWF:  COUNTY.  IOWA.  179 

The  two  Hulls  were  arrested  and  placed  under  ^1,000 
bonds  to  appear  in  court.  Their  case  was  cuntinued  to  the 
November  term,  18G7,  and  their  trial  was  conducted  at  Ot- 
tumwa  on  a  chanjre  of  venue.  Hiram  was  acquitted  through 
some  intricacy  of  the  law,  but  John  was  convicted  and  sen- 
tenced to  the  penitentiary  for  five  years.  He  took  an  appeal 
to  the  Supreme  (\)urt.  and,  })endinfl:  its  decision,  was  re- 
leased on  |T,0(H)  bonds.  He  rled  the  country,  and  left  his 
bondsmen  to  forfeit  the  amount.  (May  was  also  arrested,  as 
already  stated  iK^ein. 

To  the  prom])t  and  summary  action  of  the  Vigilance 
( 'ommittee  is  due  the  credit  of  exterminating  one  of  the  most 
daring  hordes  of  outlaws  that  ever  terrorized  a.  civilized 
community.  The  members  comprised  the  very  best  element  in 
society,  and  in  view  of  the  tardiness  and  uncertainty  of  the 
civil  power  in  punishing  criminals,  the  action  of  the  Vigil- 
ance ('ommittee  has  always  been  approved  by  the  public. 

Some  years  prior  to  the  episodes  narrated  in  this  chap- 
ter. Monroe  and  other  southern  border  counties  were  over- 
run by  a  band  of  horse-thieves  whose  organization  was  more 
extensi^e  than  that  of  subsecjuent  date.  A  chain  of  oper- 
ations extended  from  Indiana  to  Nebraska,  and  a  complete 
record  of  their  lawlessness  is  given  in  a  little  volume  found 
in  nearly  every  pioi^eer  library,  entitled  ^'Bandits  of  the 
Prairie." 

A  detective  named  Bonny  finally  came  in  their  midst, 
in  the  disguise  of  a  counterfeiter.  He  gained  their  con- 
fidence, learned  their  secrets,  and,  like  a  sleuth-hound, 
tracked  them  one  by  one  to  their  hiding-places  and  airested 
them.  But  few  of  the  band  escaped  the  gallows.  Monroe 
County  was  scarcel\  oi-ganized  at  the  time,  and  none  of  the 
gang  were  lynched  on  Afoni-oe  County  soil.  The  Hodge 
lu-otheis  were  hung  in  Vnu  liuren  County. 

Shack  Phipps  was  another  member  of  the  gang,  and  was 
a  relative  of  the  Long  men.  Phi|>]ts  reformed,  and  settled  on 
a  farm  in  th<-  weslein  ])ait  of  Towa.  There  is  at  least  one 
oilier  member  of  this  notorious  gang  residing  at  ]>resent  in 
Monroe  County.  He  was  a  boy  at  the  time,  but  was  accused 
of  being  an  accom|dice.  Whatever  may  have  been  his  rela- 
tion to  those  bandits  at  one  time,  he  has  sinc<'  lived  down  the 
stigma  by  a  most  exem])laiy  life.  He  has  since  then  held 
rc^spimsible  offices  of  public  trust,  and  ever  since  th<'  writer 
first  knew  him,  many  years  ago.  he  has  been  held  in  uni- 
versal esteem. 


180  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

The  murder  of  Chris  McAlister,  a  farmer  who  lived 
near  Blakesburg,  in  Wapello  County,  on  the  night  of 
November  6,  1883,  led  to  one  of  the  most  sensational  lynch- 
ings  ever  recorded  in  the  history  of  the  State.  For  some 
months  after  the  tragic  event  no  clue  could  be  discovered 
towards  the  apprehension  of  the  murderer. 

At  length  suspicion  began  to  attach  itself  to  Pleas 
Anderson,  a  married  man  of  about  forty  years  of  age,  who 
lived  on  a  farm  in  Urbana  Township. 

Since  the  date  of  the  murder,  Anderson  had  made 
occasional  remarks  which  appeared  suspicious  to  his  neigh- 
bors, and  his  strange  actions  on  several  occasions  tended 
to  streng'then  the  suspicions.  Anderson  already  had  an 
uneuAiable  reputation  as  a  pugilist,  bully,  and  a  ruffian  iu 
a  general  way.  He  had,  at  ditferent  times,  been  mixed  up 
in  several  shooting  scrapes,  and  was  known  throughout  all 
the  southern  tier  of  counties  of  Iowa  as  a  hard  citizen.  He 
and  his  brother  William  were  finally  arrested  June  8,  1883, 
on  a  charge  of  complicity  in  the  murder  of  McAlister,  on 
an  information  sworn  out  by  L.  T.  Stewart,  of  Blakesburg, 
based  on  circumstantial  evidence. 

They  were  lodged  in  the  Ottumwa  jail,  and  on  examina- 
tion William  was  released,  no  evidence  being  shown  to 
implicate  him. 

Pleas  was  examined  before  Justice  Orr,  of  Ottumwa, 
and  enough  circumstantial  evidence  was  drawn  out  in  the 
examination  to  warrant  the  holding  of  the  prisoner  to  await 
the  action  of  the  grand  jury.  He  was  indicted  for  murder 
in  the  first  degree,  at  the  next  term  of  the  District  Court, 
and  his  attorneys  secured  for  him  a  change  of  venue  to 
Mahaska  County. 

Anderson  was  arraigned  in  court  at  Oskaloosa,  Decem- 
ber 18,  1883,  and  indicted  on  the  charge  of  murder  in  the 
first  degree;  and,  after  a  long  and  tedious  trial,  lasting  over 
a  week,  he  was  acquitted.  There  seemed  to  be  a  state  of 
general  disapprobation  in  consequence  of  the  acquittal  of 
Anderson,  yet  he  returned  to  his  home  in  Urbana  Township. 
About  this  time  his  residence  was  consumed  by  fire,  and  ht? 
moved  in  with  his  father-in-law,  Mr.  Fielding  Barnes,  whose 
residence  is  about  two  miles  southwest  of  Blakesburg. 

Anderson,  on  his  return,  conducted  himself  rather  in- 
solently, especially  towards  the  witnesses  who  had  testified 
against  him  in  his  late  trial.     On  the  night  preceding  the 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY.  IOWA.  181 

mui'der  of  McAlister,  lie  shot  into  the  house  of  S.  G.  Finney, 
a  ueij^hbor.  For  this  he  was  indicted  by  the  grand  jury  of 
Monroe  County  at  its  fall  term  of  1883,  but,  after  a  long 
delay,  he  was  tried  and  acquitted, 

i)u  Monday  evening,  December  29,  1884,  five  men  resid- 
ing in  Monroe  County  went  to  the  residence  of  Fielding 
Barnes,  who  lives  near  Blakesburg,  and  where  Pleas  Ander- 
son and  faniih'  were  residing,  Anderson  being  the  son-in-law 
of  Barnes.  The  men  secreted  themselves  near  the  barn,  and 
when  Mr,  Barnes  and  Anderson  came  to  the  barn  to  feed 
the  stock  for  the  evening,  the  men  covered  them  with 
revolvers.  Anderson  was  seized  and  driven  to  Blakesburg 
in  a  sled.  From  Blakesburg  he  was  taken  to  the  Prairie 
school-house,  two  miles  east  of  Blakesburg,  and  w'hile  eii 
route,  the  mob  informed  everybody  that  Anderson  would  be 
tried  for  the  murder  of  McAlister. 

About  9  o'clock  p.  m.  the  crowd,  which  had  increased 
to  one  hundred  or  more  people,  was  called  to  order  by  the 
leader  of  the  Vigilance  Committee,  and  a  jury  of  eight 
persons  was  appointed  to  determine  what  punishment  should 
be  meted  out  to  the  prisoner.  A  short  time  after  a  verdict 
had  been  rendered  convicting  the  prisoner  of  killing  Mc- 
Alister, eight  masked  men  suddenly  filed  into  the  room, 
disguised  in  old  quilts  and  blankets.  They  marched  in  and 
surrounded  Anderson,  and  one  of  them,  picking  up  a  rope 
which  lay  on  the  floor,  and  which  contained  a  noose,  placed 
it  around  his  neck,  and  the  prisoner  was  thus  led  out  and 
loaded  into  a  sled  and  driven  to  the  locality  where  the 
murder  was  committed. 

<  Ml  arriving  at  McAlister's  place,  a  sled  was  driven 
under  a  large  cottonwood-tree  and  the  rope  passed  up  over  a 
limb.  Anderson  was  then  lifted  upon  a  spring-seat,  which 
was  ])laced  on  the  sled.  He  was  placed  with  his  face 
towards  the  door  in  which  McAlister  was  murdered,  and 
given  a  few  moments  to  talk.  He  j)rotested  his  innocence, 
and  reipiested  a  person  in  the  crowd  to  draw  off  his  boots, 
which  was  complied  with.  He  also  requested  some  one  to 
tell  his  wife  to  keep  the  children  together  and  try  and  do 
the  best  they  could.  The  sled  was  then  driven  from  under 
him.  and  he  was'  hung.  The  mail-carrier  from  Ottumwa, 
passing  early  next  morning,  saw  the  body  hanging  and 
reported  the  fad.     Tlie  body  was  fi-ozen  stiff  when  cut  down. 

^^everal,  if  not  all,  of  the  lynching  party  were  afterwards 


182  HIf?TOIiY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY.  IOWA. 

apprehended  and  brought  before  the  grand  jury,  but  they 
were  released  without  punishment.  It  was  generally  sup- 
posed that  the  murder  of  McAlister  was  perpetrated  by  two 
persons,  but  no  second  party  was  ever  apprehended. 

On  the  22d  of  March,  1893,  Lewis  Frazier,  a  German 
living  between  Carbonado  and  Oskaloosa,  called  at  the 
house  of  Mrs.  W.  H.  Smith  in  Hiteman,  to  see  his  wife,  who 
was  a  sister  of  Mrs.  Smith.  He  wanted  his  wife  to  either 
return  home  with  him,  or  else  give  him  the  custody  of  their 
two  children.  She  refused,  and  a  quarrel  ensued.  Mrs. 
Smith  took  up  the  quarrel,  and  Frazier  stabbed  her  fatally. 
She  died  in  about  twenty  minutes.  Frazier  fled,  and  was 
pursued  and  captured  by  Deputy  Sheriff  Joe  Lewis  and  an 
assistant  deputy,  about  four  miles  from  Hiteman,  on  the 
same  day.  The  officers  started  to  return  to  Hiteman  with 
their  prisoner,  but  were  overwhelmed  by  a  mob  of  about  a 
hundred  men  from  the  mines.  They  seized  Frazier  and  hung 
him  on  a  tree  in  Hiteman  in  the  evening  of  the  same  day  of 
the  murder.  At  the  inquest  held  over  the  remains  none 
of  the  witnesses  seemed  to  recognize  anv  of  the  Ivnchers. 


HISTORY  OF  ]10M?0E  COUNTY.  IOWA.  183 


CHAPTER  XII. 

MisccUa n co us  Top ivs. 

Ou  the  election  of  Grant  and  Colfax,  in  November,  1868, 
the  Republicans  of  ]Moni'oe  County  held  an  enthusiastic  jolli- 
fication in  Albia.  Wni.  Davis,  a  negro  barber  who  had  been 
brought  up  fron  the  South  at  the  close  of  the  war,  was  called 
on  for  a  speech.  He  mounted  a  platform,  and  in  the  course 
of  his  remai  ks  recounted  his  experience  and  hardships  as  a 
slave  on  a  Sauthern  plantation.  He  spoke  of  his  adventures 
as  a  Union  soldier,  and,  later,  his  experience  as  a  citizen  of 
the  I'nion.     His  remarks  were  loudly  cheered  by  the  crowd. 

Several  negro  children  were  brought  and  sent  to  Monroe 
County  in  lS(i4-.5.  These  first  arrivals  considerably  ruttied 
the  feelings  of  those  who  entertained  pronounced  scruples 
against  the  mingling  of  the  two  races.  It  is  related  that  one 
day.  while  ])assing  the  residence  of  Wm.  Welsh,  just  south 
of  town,  R.  E.  Robinson,  a  gentleman  residing  in  Monroe 
To\\nship.  saw  a  couple  of  small  negro  children  playing  in 
the  yard.  The  spectacle  was  overwhelming  to  the  honest 
farmer.  It  called  up  in  his  mind  a  long  train  of  evil  conse- 
quences resulting  from  the  emancipation  of  the  black  race. 
The  s])ectacle  was  a  premonition  of  the  debasenu-nt  and  ulti- 
mate coalescence  of  the  two  races.  It  was  a  public  day  of 
some  kind,  and  there  w  as  a  long  train  of  farmers'  wagons  be- 
hind. Ml'.  Robinson  arose  in  his  vehicle  and  addressed  the 
crowd  in  an  animated  and  ehHjuent  oration.  He  called  upon 
his  fiiends to  note  thr  (IcgradatiDu  which  the  emancipation  of 
the  slave  had  entaih'd  upon  a  sujxiior  race,  in  the  humiliat- 
ing sjtectacle  before  them. 

Hugh  McC^neen  was  another  youth  sent  up  from  the 
South.  He  bore  but  a  faint  trace  of  African  blood,  which 
was  seldom  detected.  He  was  something  of  a  beau  among 
the  young  hulies  of  Monroe  Township,  and  il  was  not  gener- 
ally know  II  that  he  was  of  .Vfrican  di-scent.  Andrew  Siamm. 
an  Iowa  sdldier.  in  some  way  got  ]►  isscssion  of  the  boy  while 
he  was  a  slave  in  the  South.  lie  found  him  sitting  on  a  fence, 
and  the  boy  eitlu-r  followed  him  V()luntarily  oi-  was  coaxe«l 
awav. 


184  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

On  August  31, 1868,  a  hickory  pole  of  prodigious  height 
was  reared  in  Albia  by  the  local  Democracy,  as  a  symbol  of 
the  ''Old  Hickory"  or  Jacksonian  type  of  Democracy.  It 
was  during  the  campaign  when  Seymour  and  Blair  were  the 
Presidential  standard-bearers  of  the  Democratic  party.  It 
was  jointed,  and  the  sections  secured  by  iron  bands.  A  year 
later  one  Davis,  a  Democrat  who  had  invested  a  dollar  in  the 
pole,  and  who  therefore  claimed  to  be  a  joint  stockholder,  cut 
the  pole  down  for  fire-wood. 

In  the  Sentinel  of  1860,  in  an  article  descriptive  of  early 
times,  J.  T.  Young  tells  the  following  incident: 

"Standing  in  a  small  grove  of  timber  near  the  east  line 
of  the  township,  and  owned  by  old  Mr,  Gillespie,  who  sold 
it  to  its  present  owner,  Thomas  Hickenlooper,  is  a  log- 
cabin.  The  grove  is  composed  of  a  thick  growth  of  small 
saplings  and  underbrush.  A  long  time  ago,  it  is  said,  a 
panther  made  his  home  in  this  dark  and  secluded  spot. 
His  screams  were  heard  at  night  by  friend  J.  W.  Mclntyre, 
who  lived  about  a  mile  from  the  grove. 

''The  animal  would  occasionally  sally  forth  to  some 
neighboring  sheep-pen,  ten  rails  high  (and  such  rails  as  Mr. 
Lincoln  never  split),  take  one  of  the  fattest  sheep,  and  make 
oft"  with  it  as  easily  as  a  cat  would  carry  a  mouse.  Mr. 
Panther  went  to  Milton  Mclntyre's  sheep-pen  one  night, 
picked  up  a  sheep,  and  made  oil"  with  it,  when  he  was  beset 
by  the  dog.  This  raised  Milton's  spunk,  and  he  gathered  a 
club  and  made  at  the  panther,  which  tied  and  was  never 
seen  again." 

The  legendary  panther,  or  "painter,"  as  it  was  usually 
termed  in  the  vernacular  of  the  pioneer  settlers,  was  an 
animal  the  very  mention  of  whose  name  spread  terror  in  the 
hearts  of  children,  a  few  housewives,  and  not  a  few  timid 
men. 

While  it  was  generally  regarded  as  an  animal  of  great 
ferocity,  there  is  no  record  of  its  ever  having  attacked  any 
one.  Nobody  ever  saw  a  dead  panther,  and  the  phantom 
form  of  the  live  animal  was  never  calmly  viewed  by  mortal 
gaze,  save  only  by  an  occasional  furtive  glance  while  the 
"painter"  crossed  some  dark,  secluaed  path  in  the  forest. 
In  fact,  about  the  only  tangible  proof  of  the  existence  of  the 
"painter"  was  the  very  abundant  auricular  evidence  of 
hearing  the  animal's  blood-curdling  screams  by  night.  The 
scream  is  said  to  be  not  verv  unlike  that  of  a  terrified  woman. 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY.  IOWA.  185 

These  screams,  which  terrified  whole  neighborhoods,  can 
be  heard  ahiiost  any  night  in  the  forests.  They  are  uttered 
by  a  very  small  owl,  between  the  size  of  a  screech-owl  and 
that  of  a  large  horned  owl.  It  is  about  the  size  of  a  pigeon, 
and  has  no  "horns"  on  its  head.  The  real  panther  does  not 
scream,  but  utters  a  sharp,  prolonged  screech.  It  is  about 
the  size  of  a  dog,  and  very  shy  and  cowardly. 

It  is  quite  probable  that  there  were  a  few  of  these 
animals  passing  through  the  forests  at  times,  but  it  was 
the  common  wild  oat  that  so  often  became  confounded  with 
the  panther. 

The  wild  cat  is  about  the  size  of  a  small  dog,  and  is 
of  a  gray  color,  marked  with  small  specks.  It  has  a 
large  head,  small  ears,  and  a  short  tail.  It  is  very  destruc- 
tive to  young  pigs,  lambs,  and  poultry.  It  was  abundant 
in  the  forests  of  Monroe  County,  but  soon  disappeared  on 
the  advent  of  settlers. 

If  the  animal  were  a  large  specimen,  and  the  beholder's 
imagination  vivid,  he  raised  the  report  that  he  had  seen 
the  "painter."  The  "painter,"  however,  was  a  sort  of  Satyr 
of  some  utility  to  the  settlers.  If  a  settler  knew  of  a  fine 
patch  of  wild  blackberries  which  he  wished  to  save  for  his 
own  use,  he  circulated  a  story  that  the  "painter"  had  been 
seen  or  heard  in  the  vicinity,  and  the  berries  would  be 
unmolested. 

The  Canada  lynx  was  another  animal  allied  to  the  wild 
cat  which  occasionally  passed  through  a  neighborhood. 
It  was  a  little  larger  than  the  wild  cat.  and  had  long,  pointed 
ears  and  a  short  tail.  Its  fur  was  marked  with  larger  spots. 
It  was  probably  tlie  real  prototype  of  the  "i>ainter.'' 

Wild  game  in  those  days  was  (juite  jtlentiful  in  Monroe 
County.  Deer  were  (juite  common  in  the  'OOs,  and  up  to 
about  1870  one  or  more  might  be  seen  passing  through  the 
county.  They  were  the  common  Virginia  deer  of  the  West 
and  South. 

The  bear  and  bison  had  been  extinguished  long  before 
by  the  Indians,  and  the  N\riler  has  no  knowledge  of  any  bears 
having  been  found  by  the  white  settlers,  save  one,  which 
was  kilk'd  on  one  of  the  Avery  creeks  long  ago,  by  Butler 
Delashmut  and  others,  of  Eddyville. 

Wild  turkeys  were  once  abundant  in  the  forests,  but 
of  late  years  have  become  all  but  extinct.  Occasionally  one 
is  still  seen  in  the  woods.  l)ut  probably  within  a  half  dozen 


186  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

years  there  will  not  be  one  in  the  county.  Twenty  years  ago 
the  fields  and  prairies  swarmed  with  prairie-chickens.  They 
usuallj"  hatched  in  Minnesota  and  farther  north,  and  came 
southward  in  September  and  remained  until  June.  They 
congregated  in  immense  flocks,  and  hunting  them  was  a 
great  delight  to  the  sportsman.  Occasionally  a  small  flock 
is  still  seen  in  the  winter  season. 

^V'ild  geese,  ducks,  and  other  water-fowl  are  also 
transient  guests,  and  alight  occasionally  in  ponds,  while 
passing. 

Squirrels  are  still  plentiful  in  some  localities  within 
the  county,  but  they,  too,  are  destined  to  go,  forever,  with 
the  ultimate  destruction  of  the  forests.  There  are  two 
varieties,  the  gray  and  the  fox  squirrel.  The  latter  is  a 
little  the  larger. 

There  are  a  few  raccoons,  and  the  skunk  is  still  plentiful 
and  keeps  on  amicable  terms  with  man.  The  badger  has 
become  extinct,  and  the  prairie-wolf  has  about  become  so. 
The  timber-wolf  was  a  larger  species,  but  was  never 
numerous. 

The  circular  wolf-hunt  of  thirty  years  ago  was  one  of 
the  grandest  fete  days  in  the  county.  The  settlers  would 
set  out  on  some  appointed  day,  and  converge  to  some 
previously  arranged  center,  designated  by  a  pole.  They 
would  blow  their  horns,  ring  bells,  and  discharge  fire-arms 
as  the}'  traveled  along,  and  at  a.  certain  hour  all  would 
surround  the  pole  in  a  solid  phalanx.  Here  no  guns  were 
allowed,  and  anj-  wild  animals  caught  within  the  circle 
were  dispatched  by  dogs.  The  usual  catch  of  these  hunts 
was  a  few  skunks  and  occasionally  a  fox. 

There  are  two  varieties  of  fox,  the  gray  and  the  red  fox. 
They  are  few  in  numbers. 

Rabbits  are  still  plentiful,  and  as  they  are  capable  of 
rapid  increase,  they  will  remain  a  long  time.  The  ground- 
hog, or  woodchuck,  inhabits  the  woods  and  is  quite 
plentiful. 

The  prairie  gray  squirrel  belongs  to  the  marmot  or  wood- 
chuck  family,  and  dwells  on  the  prairie.  A  smaller  species, 
known  as  striped  squirrels,  or  chipmunks,  infest  the  woods, 
and  in  the  meadows  are  found  still  another  variety,  also 
striped.     These  two  species  are  about  the  size  of  a  small  rat. 

The  pocket  gopher  is  disappearing  rapidly.  The  otter 
has  long  since  disappeared,  but  the  mink  and  musk-rat  are 
still  denizens  of  the  county. 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY.  IOWA.  187 

The  rattlesnake  is  the  only  poisonous  snake  in  the 
county. 

There  are  still  a  few  pheasants,  and  an  abundance  of 
quails.     The  wild  pigeon,  once  so  numerous,  is  now  extinct. 

f^trikes. 

In  February,  1880.,  the  coal-miners  working  in  the  Albia 
Coal  Com]>an_v  mines,  at  Cedar  Creek  just  west  of  Albia,  who 
were  out  on  a  strike,  were  replaced  by  negroes. 

Henry  Miller,  president  of  the  company,  conceived  the 
idea  of  trying  to  operate  the  mines  by  negroes.  He  went  to 
Missouri  and  secured  a  force  of  raw  negroes,  and  put  them 
to  work  in  the  mines.  They  learned  the  trade  rapidly,  and 
nmde  a  goo<l  liyelihood  for  themselyes  and  families,  and  were 
less  inclined  to  place  the  interests  of  their  employers  in 
jeopardy  by  strikes. 

The  striking  white  miners,  however,  on  finding  their 
places  taken  by  the  blacks,  assumed  a  threatening  attitude 
towards  the  latter,  and  doubtless  blood  would  have  been 
shed  if  the  company  of  militia  stationed  at  Albia  had  not 
appeared  upon  the  scene  to  repress  any  outbreak.  On  Sat- 
urday night,  of  February  21st,  the  negroes  w'ere  fired  upon 
by  the  strikers.  The  negroes  returned  the  fire,  but  no  one 
was  hurt.  These  were  the  first  colored  miners  that  came 
into  the  Monroe  County  mines. 

''The  Deep  Snoiv:' 

"The  deep  snow"  represents  a  period  in  the  chronology 
of  pioneer  times,  from  which  all  old  settlers  reckon  dates — 
as,  for  instance,  three  years  before  "the  deep  snow"  the  con- 
test over  the  county  seat  occurred;  or,  the  first  school-hous<_> 
in  the  county  was  built  five  years  before  "the  deep  snow,"  or 
in  1844.  Likewise  the  first  marriage  occurred  in  this  year, 
being  that  of  Nelson  Wescoatt  and  ^lay  Searcy.  Three 
months  later  the  bride  died  of  fever.  Or,  if  the  settler 
wishes  to  recall  the  period  when  horse-stealing  was  prevalent 
in  the  county,  he  will  say  that  it  was  the  winter  after  "the 
deej)  snow,"  or  in  1850.  The  event  itself  occupies  the  same 
relationship  to  local  pioneer  chronology  that  Noah's  flood 
does  to  Christian  chronology,  or  the  flood  of  Deucalion  to  the 
chront)logy  of  Creek  mythctlogy. 

The  snow  began  to  fall  about  the  first  of  December,  1848, 
and  continued  until  April  6,  1849.     The  snow  was  three  feet 


188  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

deep  on  the  level,  and  it  was  very  severe  on  both  domestic  as 
well  as  wild  animals.  Large  numbers  of  deer  were  caught 
when  a  crust  had  formed  on  the  surface  of  the  snow,  which 
impeded  the  speed  of  the  animals,  but  enabled  the  dogs  to 
I)ursue  them  on  the  surface  without  breaking  through. 

In  passing  through  the  forest  at  the  present  day,  one 
will  occasionally  meet  with  a  decaying  monument  of  this 
memorable  snow,  in  the  form  of  stumps  of  trees  cut  during 
the  winter  of  the  snow,  when  the  axman  walked  on  the  sur- 
face, borne  up  by  the  crust.  These  stumps  usually  stand 
about  six  feet  in  height,  and  have  often  attracted  curiosity 
in  those  who  do  not  recall  the  incident  of  "the  deep  snow.'* 

Nationality. 

The  first  settlers  of  the  county  were  mostly  of  American 
birth;  but  not  long  afterwards  a  colony  of  Germans  settled 
on  Coal  Creek,  in  a  locality  sometimes  alluded  to  as  "Dutch 
Ridge."  This  locality  was  originally  one  of  the  most  barren 
and  unpromising  regions  in  the  county.  It  was  composed  of 
white  oak  soil,  covered  with  underbush  and  dense  growths 
of  saplings.  Just  why  the  prudent,  thrifty  German  should 
have  selected  this  region  was  always  a  mystery  to  the  native 
settler.  The  German  always  had  plenty  of  money,  and  he 
could  have  had  his  pick  of  the  land.  What  was  still  more  sur- 
prising, he  thrived  and  prospered  on  this  wild  "Dutch 
Ridge."  He  laid  up  money  and  improved  his  farm,  while 
the  native  settler,  located  in  the  garden-spots  of  the  county, 
scarcely  made  a  living. 

There  were  the  Hertzers,  the  Mertzes,  the  Wiedmans, 
the  Landsbergers,  the  Steinbergers,  the  Manleys,  and 
others.  The}'^  were  a  hardy,  industrious,  and  law-abiding 
community,  and  have  transmitted  to  posterity  an  equally 
creditable  class  of  citizens  in  the  present  generation. 

For  many  years,  Philip  Hertzer,  or  "old  Dutch  Philip," 
as  his  many  friends  have  affectionately  styled  him,  was,  by  a 
sort  of  universal  reverence,  acknowledged  to  be  the  chief 
counselor  of  the  colony,  or  a  sort  of  "burgomaster." 

These  Germans  never  took  any  special  interest  in  local 
politics,  and  during  every  political  canvass  in  the  county  the 
"Dutch  Ridge"  became  a  much-coveted  vineyard  to  the 
stump-speaker.  They  were  fond  of  their  beer,  and  when  the 
State  prohibitory  law  was  enacted,  the  inhabitants  of  "Dutch 
Ridge"  became  disgusted  with  the  Republican  party,  and 
withdrew  their  allegiance  to  it. 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY.  IOWA.  189 

Whenever  a  party  leader  desired  to  augment  the 
strength  of  liis  party  in  the  county,  he  considered  it  liighly 
necessary  to  establish  diplomatic  relations  with  ''Dutch 
Philip."  Then,  on  election  day,  the  Germans  would  be  out 
in  force.  ''Dutch  Philip"  would  be  their  counselor,  and 
Judge  Hilton  and  Tom  Baldwin,  each  representing  his  n*- 
spective  party,  might  t)e  seen  Avreathed  in  seductive  smiles, 
bestowing  their  blandishments  upon  tin,'  apparently  en- 
raptured Gernmn  voters,  and  incidentally  setting  forth  the 
Hierits  of  their  respective  parties.  The  good-natured  and 
sagacious  German  usually  listened  with  an  expression  of 
well-aflfecttMi  interest  and  profound  dc^ference,  but  ])ef<u"e 
either  party  champion  could  get  his  man  started  towards  the 
ballot-box  with  the  proper  ballot  snugly  folded  within  his 
vest-pocket,  the  latter  could  invariably  be  seen  meandering 
behind  the  school-house  in  com]»any  with  "Dutch   Philip." 

The  Irishman  is  always  the  first  on  the  ground  every 
Avhere.  There  is  no  ]>lace  under  the  sun  where  you  will  not 
find  him.  He  forges  to  the  front,  not  only  in  a  geographical 
sense,  but  in  a  social  and  political  one  as  well.  If  a  public 
policy  is  to  be  consummated,  an  Irishman  pushes  it  through; 
if  a  sortie  or  charge  is  to  be  made,  or  a  forlorn  hope  led  into 
the  death-valley  of  an  enemy's  guns,  an  Irishman  is  at  the 
head.  He  has  done  everything  for  the  advancement  of  other 
nations,  and  nothing  for  his  own  little  down-trodden  isle.  He 
is  an  Irishman  for  Ireland  as  long  as  he  lives  on  the  isle,  but 
as  soon  as  he  steps  ashore  at  Castle  Garden  he  becomes  an 
American  citizen  at  heart,  and  really  does  not  require  the 
naturalization  act  of  courts,  which  he  avails  himself  of  as 
soon  as  the  pn^sci-ibed  term  of  residence  is  up.  On  landing, 
he  immediately  discards  his  nice,  neat  moleskin  knee- 
breeches  and  high  hat,  and  dons  a  pair  of  blue  overalls,  takes 
up  a  shovel,  a  peddler's  pack,  or  a  jioliceman's  ''bill3',"  and 
goes  to  work.  He  attends  all  j)olitical  nu»eiings,  and  votes 
Ihe  Democratic  ticket  as  soon  as  he  gets  his  naturalization 
])a.pers — and  sometimes  before.  When  he  bec<mies  a  cilizen, 
lie  does  not  waste  his  energies  in  senliniental  and  (Hjnally 
futile  attemjtts  to  redeem  his  own  unhappy  uative  isle  from 
its  thralldom.  Deep  in  his  heai't  he  feels  her  unha]»py  con- 
dition, but  he  f(K^ls  that  his  labors  and  statesmanship  in  the 
new  world  are  of  too  high  a  value  to  be  interrupted  by  a 
sentiment  that  cannot  be  realized,  or  a  dream  that  can  never 
be  fulfilled. 


190  HIF^TORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY.  IOWA. 

The  west  half  of  ]Moni'oe  County  is  largely  settled  by 
Irishmen.  Their  farms  are  all  well  cultivated,  and  yield 
their  owners  a  comfortable  living.  Like  the  Germans,  they 
selected  a  wild,  broken  region  for  their  homes;  but  this  is 
more  readily  accounted  for  by  the  fact  that  they  came  to 
Monroe  County  with  small  means  and  were  obliged  to  select 
cheaper  lauds.  Most  of  the  Irish  vote  the  Democratic 
ticket. 

Notwithstanding  the  rural  disadvantages  which  many  of 
the  neighborhoods  of  this  Irish  colony  possess,  most  of  the 
brightest  young  professional  men  of  Monroe  County  are 
either  Irishmen  or  the  sons  of  Irishmen.  The  O'Bryans, 
the  Carrs,  tbe  Richmonds,  the  Nichols,  Ed.  Morrison,  flas.  M. 
liobb,  and  A,  J.  Cassady,  and  others,  are  of  the  legal  pro- 
fession ;  and  Ed.  A.  Canning,  while  a  prominent  citizen  and 
highly  valued  public  otticial,  may  yet  turn  his  attention  to 
jurisprudence  and  become  a  successful  lawyer  with  the  rest. 

The  extensive  development  of  the  mining  industry  with- 
in the  county  has  of  late  years  invited  other  nationalities 
into  our  midst.  A  large  majority  of  the  miners — say  three- 
fourths —  are  AV'elsh  and  English.  The  remaining  fourth  is 
nuide  up  of  Americans,  f^wedes,  and  a  few  Italians,  French, 
Scotch,  and  Belgians.  There  are  no  Irish  miners,  and  but 
few  Germans.  The  Dutchman  will  not  venture  into  the 
dark,  and  the  Irishman  always  wants  to  be  on  top.  The 
English  and  Welsh  miners  are  the  most  successful  miners, 
as  for  centuries  the  calling  has  been  hereditary  with  them. 
There  is  but  slight  national  distinction  between  them.  The 
English  are  from  Durham  or  Cornwall. 
Methods  of  FannitKi. 

When  the  early  settlers  began  to  till  the  virgin  soil  of 
Monroe  County,  each  farmer  adopted  the  methods  of  his  own 
pai-ticular  State.  The  ''Pennsylvania  Dutchman,"  accus- 
tomed to  the  rocky,  loose  soil  of  Pennsylvania,  brought  with 
him  his  monster  cast-iron  x^low.  It  would  not  ''scour"  in  our 
Western  soil,  so  he  discarded  it  with  many  a  sigh. 

The  New  England  Yankee's  methods  were  quite  unique, 
and  greatly  amused  the  "Hoosier,"  the  "Sucker,"  and  the 
Kentuckian.  The  prairie  soil  was  decidedly  different  from 
that  of  the  Eastern  States,  and  it  required  several  years'  ex- 
perience for  the  husbandman  to  get  started  on  the  right 
track. 

In  the  earlier  period  flax  was  a  staple  crop.     It  was 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  TOW  A.  191 

cultivated  exclusively  for  the  tiber.  About  the  time  the 
plaut  was  in  bloom,  tlu*  farmer's  wives  and  daughters  would 
<ro  into  the  tields  and  i»ull  up  the  Hax  by  the  roots.  It  was 
then  suak('<l  in  watei-  for  awhile,  to  bleach.  Then  it  was 
hauled  in  and  placed  in  larger  bunches,  where  it  was  allowed 
to  "rot" — i.  c,  the  woody  part  beneath  the  bark  or  tiber  was 
allowed  to  decay.  Then  the  farmer  would  ''break"  it.  A 
"flax-break"  was  a  rudely  constructed  appliance  for  breaking 
the  woody  portion  of  the  Hax.  It  consisted  of  an  oak  frame 
five  or  six  feet  in  length  and  about  two  feet  wide,  and 
supported  on  four  legs.  Within  this  frame,  and  placed 
parallel  and  extending  the  long  way  of  the  frame,  were  a 
series  of  wooden  bars,  an  inch  or  two  apart,  with  sharpened 
edges.  Then  upon  the  upper  side  of  this  frame,  and  hinged 
to  it,  was  another  frame  constructed  the  same  as  the  lower 
one,  the  edges  of  its  bars  mashing  into  the  space  between 
the  lower  bars  when  the  upper  frame  was  shut  down  against 
the  latter.  The  farmer  would  then  raise  the  upper  frame 
with  oiu^  hand,  place  a  bunch  of  Hax  crosswise  on  the  lower 
frame  of  the  "break,''  and  then  thrust  the  upper  frame  or 
hinged  lid  down  upon  the  Hax.  This  movement  was  re- 
peated until  the  stalk  of  the  fiax  was  crushed  and  broken 
in  small  particles,  the  tiber  or  bark  remaining  uninjured  by 
the  operation. 

In  this  state  it  was  passed  to  the  housewife,  who  ran 
it  through  the  "hackle''  to  remove  the  bits  of  woody  material. 
The  "hackle''  was  a  board  about  ten  inches  wide  and  about 
fifteen  inches  long.  Sharp-pointed  nails  were  driven 
through  this  board  about  half  an  inch  from  each  other  over 
the  entire  surface.  The  wife  would  draw  the  fiax  through 
this  ''hackle,"  handful  by  handful,  when  it  was  finally  ready 
to  be  si>nn  into  thread  oi-  "filling."  It  was  then  ready  for  the 
loom.  Kveiy  dutiful  housewife  could  operate  a  loom  in 
those  «lays.  and  a  young  lady  who  was  not  a<'coinplished  in 
spinning  and  weaving  was  shunned  by  the  matrimonially 
inclined  young  men,  and  usually  lived  an  old  maid. 

Weaving  was  always  a  medium  of  exchange,  and  it 
was  ni»  uncommon  thing  for  the  young  wife,  in  embarking  on 
life's  voyag<*,  to  do  weaving  for  a  yoke  of  oxen  for  her  young 
husband.  The  wiit«r*s  mother  did  weaving  for  a  (juantity 
of  corn,  at  ten  cents  jter  bushel.  She  wove  at  the  rate  of 
about  fifteen  cents  a  yard.  We  are  not  (piite  certain  but 
that  she  wove  the  cloth  for  her  prospective  husband's  flax 

/^'^^-^ 

UNIVERSITY  " 


192  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

wedding-breeches,  for  the  fabric  showed  that  especial  care 
had  been  expended  on  it.  The  cloth  thus  made  was  very 
coarse,  and  of  a  greenish  gray  color.  The  greatest  objection 
to  it  was  that  it  never  wore  out.  If  we  mistake  not,  our 
first  pants  were  constructed  out  of  a  discarded  pair  of 
parental  trousers,  doubtless  those  which  did  such  excellent 
service  on  the  marriage  occasion  already  spoken  of. 

After  the  lapse  of  a  few  years,  the  settlers  began  to 
raise  sheep,  and  to  convert  the  wool  into  cloth.  If  the  cloth 
was  constructed  solely  of  wool,  it  was  called  "jeans";  but 
if  the  ''chain"  was  composed  of  cotton  or  flax,  it  was  called 
"linsey."  The  ladies  preferred  linsey  for  their  wearing 
apparel,  as  it  was  of  a  little  liner  texture,  say  700  threads 
of  warp  to  the  yard. 

In  1860  John  Young  (father  of  Josiah  T.  Young)  and  sons 
started  a  woolen  factory  at  Albia.  A  short  time  later  they 
put  in  "carding"  machinery,  which  was  a  great  convenience 
to  the  settlers.  The  factory  burned  in  1862,  but  in  1866  it 
was  rebuilt  and  operated  by  Wallace  &  Kambo  for  several 
years. 

Some  of  11i(^  prominent  families  of  early  days  affected 
certain  colors  in  homespun  flannel.  These  family  colors 
were  a  sort  of  "coat  of  arms"  in  the  family.  For  instance, 
the  flannel  and  jeans  worn  by  the  famil}^  of  Elias  Fisher 
in  TJrbana  Township  was  a  dark  walnut  brown  interspersed 
with  streaks  of  yellow,  something  like  a  tiger's  skin.  The 
house  of  Noland  was  represented  by  a  butternut  brown. 
All  old-timers  will  remember  the  long-tailed  butternut  coat 
of  Doster  Noland,  garnished  with  large  white  bone  buttons. 
When  this  eminent  veterinary  surgeon  moved  to  Missouri, 
he  wore  the  big  coat,  and  is  doubtless  wearing  it  yet,  if 
alive.  The  Hayes,  Baldwins,  and  Whites,  all  being  related, 
had  one  common  family  color.  It  was^  a  kind  of  checked 
arrangement,  broad  bands  of  red  and  narrow  streaks  of  th(^ 
same  color,  with  a  blue  background.  "Rich"  Hayes  still 
clings  to  this  color.  He  is  still  alive,  and  some  years  ago 
sold  his  farm  in  Monroe  Township,  and  moved  to  Missouri 
and  got  religion.  The  family  color  of  the  Haller  family  was 
a  sky-blue  jeans  marked  with  still  lighter  colored  bars  or 
streaks.  Moses  Haller,  the  patriarch  of  the  family,  still 
lives  at  Selection,  in  Monroe  Township.  He  has  lost  his 
eyesight,  but  can  hear  distinctly,  and  recognizes  everybody 
by  their  voices.  He  keeps  well  posted  on  all  that  transpires 
in  the  neighborhood. 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA.  193 

I'l'obably  the  very  first  implement  for  tilling  the  soil 
was  tlie  heavy  hoe.  ilany  of  the  early  settlers,  as  we  have 
before  stated.  emi<irated  from  Indiana,  and  Indiana  was 
largely  settled  by  Kentmkians;  hence  many  of  the  early 
settlers  of  Monroe  County  wi're  of  Kentucky  stock.  They 
were  proticient  in  tlie  the  use  of  the  hoe,  and  had  to  be, 
perforce  of  necessity,  as  they  were  dependent  upon  it  for 
their  "Johnny-cake.''  The  Southern  pioneer  could  not  *'go 
wheat  bread,"  and  if  placed  on  a  diet  of  wheat  bread,  he 
got  all  out  of  sorts,  and  lost  faith  in  the  country,  and  had 
no  desire  to  work. 

The  early  farmers  did  not  produce  anything  for  market 
ex<-(*pt  hogs,  and  these  had  to  be  driven  to  Keokuk  or 
Alexandria  to  market.  The  pioneer  hog  was  vastly  superior 
to  the  modern  porker  in  intellect  and  correspondingly  in- 
ferior in  all  other  points.  He  was  called  the  "hazel-splitter," 
and  was  a  long-legged,  big-headed,  sharp-backed  animal, 
that  could  run  like  a  race-horse  and  hold  his  own  among 
wolves  and  wild  cats.  He  was  usually  of  a  ''sandy"  color, 
and  spent  his  time  in  the  woods  from  May  to  December,  and 
not  unfre(]uently  shifting  for  himself  all  winter.  H(^  sub- 
sisted mainly  on  roots  and  nuts,  and  late  in  the  fall  he 
fattened  on  burr-oak  acorns.  All  the  farmer  had  to  do,  when 
his  hogs  grew  fat  enough  for  market,  was  to  capture  them, 
and  this  was  sr)metimes  as  thrilling  an  experience  as  a 
wolf-hunt  in  Siberia.  One  fall  the  writer's  grandfather  sold 
an  old  sow  to  Captain  Wilson,  who  drove  her,  with  several 
hundred  others,  to  Burlington,  a  distance  of  one  hundred 
miles.  The  next  spring  or  sninmer  the  identical  .sow  came 
home  to  see  her  pigs  from  which  she  had  been  heartlessly 
separated  the  fall  before.  She  walked  all  th«^  distance,  and 
was  lean  and  haggard  when  she  arrived.  She  made  her 
escape  at  Binlington.  Slu^  was  again  dtdivered  to  Mi-. 
Wilson,  th<'  dr()\ei-. 

Every  farmer  had  liis  "earmarks"  registered  in  the 
Cotinty  Judge's  office,  and  by  means  of  earmarks  every 
person  was  enabled  to  identify  Ins  own  hogs  from  those  of 
his  neighbors.  The  "ear-marks"  of  no  two  persons  could 
be  alike,  and  he  ^^hose  ear-marks  had  been  registered  took 
precedence  over  others  in  a  dispute. 

The  forests  contained  herds  of  wild  hogs  which  had 
straved  from  their  owners  or  succeeded  in  evading  capture. 


194  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

These  were  hunted  with  dogs,  and  were  exterminated  in 
a  few  years. 

Among  the  first  plows  used  for  brealving  wild  sod  were 
the  "bar-share"  plow  and  the  Carey  plow.  The  latter 
seemed  to  be  the  favorite.  The  "bar-share"  plow  consisted 
of  an  iron  plate  lying  Hat  on  the  ground  with  a  wooden 
mold-board  slanting  slightly  from  its  middle.  In  the  Carey 
plow  the  rear  end  of  this  iron  plate  turned  up  behind  and 
formed  a  part  of  the  mold-board. 

Then  came  the  long-beamed  break-plow,  already  de- 
scribed in  a  previous  chapter,  and  which  every  person  who 
has  passed  the  residence  of  John  Massey,  south  of  Albia, 
during  the  last  twenty-five  years,  has  noticed  leaning  against 
the  front-yard  fence.  Some  months  ago  the  writer,  in  pass- 
ing, had  the  pleasure  of  seeing  Mr.  Massey's  son,  Ressie, 
plowing  with  this  relic  of  a  past  generation.  He  was 
scouring  it  along  the  right-of-way  of  the  railroad  by  way  of 
preparing  it  for  farming  purposes.' 

After  the  ground  had  first  been  broken  with  the  big 
prairie  plow,  the  ground  in  later  years  was  turned  over  hj 
the  "diamond"  plow  or  "stirring"  plow;  and  when  the  corn 
was  planted  and  ready  for  cultivation,  a  small  one-horse 
"diamond"  plow  was  at  first  used;  then  came  the  "single- 
shovel,"'  and  next  the  "double-shovel,"  and  along  about  1870 
the  modern  "cultivator"  was  introduced.  This  plow  re- 
quired two  horses,  and  actually  plowed  a  row  of  corn  in 
one  trip,  instead  of  going  up  on  one  side  of  the  row  and 
returning  on  the  other  side,  as  was  done  with  the  "double- 
shovel."  The  farmer  doubted  the  utility  of  the  "cultivator," 
it  jirofessed  to  do  too  much — plowed  a  row  of  corn  in  just 
half  the  time  required  by  the  "double-shovel";  and  when 
some  fellow  devised  one  on  which  the  j)lowman  could  ride, 
the  inventor  was  regarded  as  a  wild  dreamer  or  lunatic. 

Reaping  implements  went  thi'ough  the  same  gradual 
transition.  First  came  the  small  semicircular  "reap-hook." 
This  was  the  implement  of  the  mountains  and  hills  of  the 
South  and  of  the  East,  where  there  were  but  small  patches 
of  grass  or  grain,  growing  among  rocks  and  in  narrow 
valleys. 

As  the  Western  farmer's  field  of  grass  became  larger, 
a  speedier  implement  was  evolved,  in  the  form  of  a  scythe, 
and  for  grain  the  "cradle"  was  invented.  These,  too,  were 
at  length  superseded  by  the  two-horse  mower  for  grass,  and 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA.  195 

the  old-fashioned  Manna  and  McCormick  hand-rake  reapers 
for  jirain;  these  were  eonsidered  mirack's  of  inventive 
jjenius.  Finally  the  "self-rake"  reaper  and  mower  combined 
was  bronght  out,  and  it  was  thought  that  perfection  was 
attained.     A  machine  cost  1175  or  $200. 

In  about  the  year  1870  the  Marsh  harvester  was  in- 
vented. It  was  a  ponderous  machine,  requiring  four  horses 
and  three  men  to  run  it.  It  had  a  platform,  on  which  two 
men  vivde  and  boimd  the  grain  as  it  was  delivered  from  a 
canvas  Ciirrier,  something  similar  to  those  now  used  on 
self-bindei's.  The  machine  proved  a  faihire.  It  was  too 
heavy,  and  if  the  ground  was  soft,  it  would  not  work  at  all. 
It  was  the  antecedent  of  the  self-binder  of  the  present  day. 

To  see  the  modern  self-binder  as  it  lightly  sails  around 
through  the  grain-tlelds,  doing  its  work  to  perfection  in  grain 
in  all  conditions,  one  naturally  wonders  if  it,  too,  will  in 
time  be  supplanted  by  a  machine  of  higher  perfection.  It 
does  not  seem  susceptible  of  further  improvement.  It  is 
light-running,  and  is  construc'ted  of  steel,  to  insure  strength 
and  a  reduction  of  weight. 

The  development  of  the  live-stock  industry,  and  the 
consequent  increase  in  the  acreage  of  tame  grass,  has  led 
to  the  adoption  of  superior  machinery  for  the  handling  of 
hay.  ifost  of  the  hay  in  the  county  is  stacked  and  handled 
l>y  means  of  stackers  and  loaders. 

There  is  an  alternating  law  in  agriculture  by  which 
prices  of  farm  products  rise  and  fall  periodically,  and  the 
careful  study  of  which  enables  the  shrewd  farmer  to  make 
money,  even  in  times  of  financial  depression.  It  cannot  be 
better  demonstrated  than  by  a  citation  to  the  live-stock 
industry.  About  the  year  1802  the  bottoui  suddenly  dropped 
out  of  the  cattle  market.  For  some  years  a  surj)lus  of  cattle 
iiad  been  gradually  accumulating.  The  famine  of  that 
time  precipitated  a  crisis  in  prices,  and  the  country  was 
gorged  with  an  overplus  of  unmarketable  cattle. 

Prices  ranged  so  low  that  everybody  grew  discouraged 
and  hastened  to  get  rid  of  their  stock  at  ruinously  low  prices. 
I'cople  quit  raising  cattle,  and  v«'ry  few  had  the  foresight 
to  realize  that  at  that  ])articular  time  the  farmer  should  be 
using  his  utmost  efforts  to  replenish  his  herds  in  anticipation 
of  a  shortage.  The  shortage  at  length  came,  and  prices 
went  up,  and  are  up  at  the  present  date.  Just  at  the  time 
when  the  cattle  market  had  gone  to  pieces,  horses  com- 


196  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

manded  a  fair  price.  The  cowman  then  turned  his  attention 
to  raising  horses,  with  the  result  that  at  present  the  horse 
market  is  as  greatly  depressed  as  the  cattle  market  was 
some  years  ago.  The  farmers  have  quit  raising  horses,  and 
in  a  few  years  there  will  be  a  brisk  demand  for  good  horses 
at  fair  prices.  Thus  the  markets  are  subject  to  a  rise  and 
fall  as  certain  in  their  recurrence  as  the  ebb  and  flow  of 
tides. 

The  farmers  of  Monroe  County  are  in  a  reasonable 
degree  prosperous.  Xone  are  so  poor  but  that  they  know 
where  the  next  meal  is  to  come  from.  None  are  so  hard 
pressed  that  they  have  not  the  means  to  clothe  themselves 
and  their  families  and  have  a  change  of  apparel  for  Sunday 
wear.  Many  are  growing  wealthy,  and  the  vast  majority 
of  them  live  in  comfort  and  enjoy  the  envious  reputation 
of  being  honest,  intelligent,  and  respected  above  all  other 
vocations  in  life. 

The  farmer  of  the  country  constitutes  the  keystone  in 
the  arch  of  local  Yjrosperity.  The  dweller  of  the  town  feels 
an  unfeigned  admiration  for  liim  and  h^s  family,  and  although 
his  exterior  polish  may  not  be  so  dazzling,  or  his  wife's  and 
daughter's  dress  so  stylish  as  that  of  the  city  lady,  his  and 
their  general  esteem  weighs  as  much  as  the  attainments  of 
the  other  in  the  social  scale. 

The  farmer-boy  has  outgrown  those  rural  distinctions 
which  once  built  a  brush-fence  between  himself  and  the 
social  world.  Better  roads,  the  bicycle,  the  "covered 
buggy"  and  fast  team,  increased  population,  railroads,  rural 
churches,  the  increase  of  country  villages,  and  the  later 
improvements  in  the  common  school  system  have  all  com- 
bined to  bring  him  out  into  the  open  "clearing."  When 
once  out,  and  he  gets  his  bearings,  he  forges  to  the  front. 
It  is  a  curious  fact  that  most  of  our  county  officers  were 
from  the  country.  The  same  is  true  of  the  Monroe  County 
bar.  The  country  offers  better  encouragement  to  the 
growth  arid  development  of  the  mind.  No  checks  are  placed 
on  its  growth  through  idleness,  social  abstractions,  or 
through  the  still  moi-e  pernicious  effect  of  evil  associations 
and  intempei'ance. 

Roads  and  Road-Working. 
The  highways  of  ISfonroe  County  are  at  present  mostly 
located  on  established  lines.     The  first  roads,  like  the  "trail" 
of  the  Indians,  ran  straight,  regardless  of  divisional  lines. 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA.  197 

The  main  desig:!!  was  to  'got  there,"  and  with  this  very  laud- 
able end  in  view,  the  peo])le  traveled  in  as  straight  lines  as 
the  character  of  the  surface  would  permit.  At  one  time  the 
settler  res[)ected  the  course  of  those  pioneer  highways,  and 
did  not  deign  to  set  the  road  out  on  the  line,  as  long  as  all  his 
land  was  not  fenced.  Tiater,  when  he  found  it  necessary  to 
do  this,  the  changing  of  the  road  was  attended  by  bitter  re- 
monstrances from  his  neighbors.  l<]very  man  wanted  the 
road  to  remain  just  where  it  was  first  located,  except  when  it 
cut  tlirough  his  own  farm,  when  hv  assumed  the  right  to 
"throw  it  out"  on  the  line.  If  the  new  route  was  rough  and 
crossed  a  stream,  the  farmer  making  the  change  was  ex- 
])ecled  by  an  unwritten  code  of  honor  to  put  in  the  bridge 
partly  hiuiself.  and,  with  the  friends  of  the  new  road,  work 
gratis  the  route  to  render  it  ])assable  for  teams.  Many  of  the 
highways  tliroughout  the  country  are  but  40  feet  in  width, 
but  of  later  years  Ot»  feet  has  been  prescribed  as  the  proper 
width,  and  the  Board  of  Supervisors  will  not  establish  a 
highway  of  less  width. 

The  highways  are  kept  in  repair  by  means  of  public  labor 
levied  in  f(»rm  of  a  tax.  Every  able-bodied  citizen  between 
the  age  of  HI  and  45  years  is  re(iuired  to  perform  two  days' 
labor  in  i)aynient  of  a  poll-tax  of  18.00;  in  addition  to  this 
poll-tax,  he  pays  a  pioperty  tax  in  labor,  levied  on  his  tax- 
able property;  and  in  addition  to  these.,  he  is  liable  to  a  small 
cash  levy,  which  tax  must  be  paid  in  cash,  with  which  to  pur- 
chase material,  implements,  etc.,  for  highway  purposes.  Of 
course  he  has  the  privilege  to  pay  his  poll  and  property  tax 
in  cash,  oi-  of  employing  a  substitute  to  do  the  work. 

Kormerly  the  poll-tax  was  fixed  at  $1.50,  but  it  was 
doubled  \\ith  the  I'xpectation  that  moi-e  labor  would  be  ex- 
pended. Not  withstanding  the  doubling  of  the  time  required, 
about  the  same  amount  of  actual  labor  was  bestowed  upon 
the  roads,  until  the  advent  of  the  grader.  Under  the  old 
method,  the  roads  were  worked  twice  in  a  season,  usu- 
ally in  May  and  September.  The  farnuM*  was  'SvarnrMl" 
out  on  a  fixed  date,  to  ajtpeai-  with  a  team  oi-  some  suit- 
able im|)lement,  at  S  o'clo«'k.  lie  ]»ut  in  his  api)earance 
anywhere  between  S  and  11*.  Sometimes  he  came  with 
an  old  hoe,  an  ax,  hatchet,  or  anything  that  might  be 
construed  as  coming  under  the  head  of  an  "im])lement." 
Scuuetimes  he  did  not  bring  anything,  and  beguiled  the  time 
in  holding  the  handle  of  a  plow  for  a  few  moments  between 


198  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

long  intervals,  or  in  loading  scrapers  and  sitting  on  the 
ground  to  await  the  return  of  the  empty  scraper.  The  squad 
was  under  the  direction  of  the  Road  Supervisor,  but  when- 
ever his  official's  back  was  turned,  the  men  repaired  to  a 
shady  fence-corner  to  crack  jokes,  argue  politics  or  religion, 
or  talk  horse;  on  the  reappearance  of  the  Supervisor,  they  re- 
sumed work.  If  a  tree  were  to  be  chopped  down,  a  grub  re- 
moved, or  a  culvert  to  mend,  the  Supervisor  had  to  do  the 
work,  while  the  men  dropped  their  tools  and  gathered  around 
to  inspect  the  work  and  offer  suggestions  as  to  the  proper 
mode  of  doing  it. 

If  a  man  has  any  bodily  infirmities,  he  is  exempt  from 
the  poll-tax,  but  not  from  the  property  tax.  He  appears 
promptly  on  the  date  set  to  work  the  roads,  armed  with  a 
physician's  certificate  of  disability.  Being  an  invalid,  he 
escapes  the  poll-tax,  but  labors  day  after  day  until  he  has 
''worked  out"  his  property  tax  at  the  customai'y  rate  of  |1.50 
per  day,  or  |3.00  with  a  team. 

Of  late  years  road-working  as  a  diversion  or  source  of 
social  rural  enjoyment  has  been  greath'  improved  on  by  the 
introduction  of  the  grader.  Es^erybody  now  rides  on  the 
grader.  The  seat  alone  is  wide  enough  to  accommodate  three 
men,  and  each  may  hold  a  pair  of  lines  attached  to  his  own 
team.  Six  horses  pull  the  grader,  and  the  Supervisor  stands 
behind  the  drivers  and  operates  the  levers  and  otherwise 
commands  the  machine.  One  or  two  men  usually  act  as 
grooms  or  footmen  to  accompany  the  equipage  in  case  the 
teams  do  not  act  nicely,  and  two  or  three  men  with  a  road 
plow  do  a  little  plowing  at  the  roadside  at  certain  intervals 
daring  the  day.  One  man  holds  the  plow  handles,  another 
drives  the  team,  and  if  there  is  a  third  one  who  could  not  be 
accommodated  on  the  grader,  he  "beams"  the  plow — i.  e.,  sits 
on  the  beam  to  force  the  nose  of  the  plow  deeper  into  the 
ground. 

Then  the  man  with  the  hoe  is  supposed  to  get  in  his 
woi'k.  He  traverses  the  entire  length  of  the  road  district, 
and  chops  up  noxious  weeds,  such  as  burdock,  ''bull"  thistles, 
and  cockle-burs.  If  he  runs  out  of  these  before  quitting 
time,  he  chops  dog-fennel  or  anything  he  comes  across,  be- 
cause his  job  is  considered  a  "soft"  one,  and  he  may  be  as- 
signed to  something  less  congenial. 

The  job  next  in  degree  of  "softness"  to  that  enjoyed  by 
the  man  with  the  hoe  is  the  hunting  up  of  the  road  scraper 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA.  199 

or  plow.  Tliose  are  always  at  the  other  end  of  the  district 
when  the  men  went  to  work,  and  some  man  has  to  <io  after 
them  with  a  team  and  waijon.  J(  takes  at  least  a  half-day  to 
find  them,  as  they  hav«'  to  be  traekcMl  fi-<)m  house  to  house, 
and,  wluMi  faund,  usually  have  to  go  to  the  blacUsmith  shop 
f«)r  repairs,  at  the  publie  expense,  as  tlu-y  have  been  passed 
around  amon«?  the  farmers  to  serve  in  scoopinj^  out  ponds, 
scrapinjr  up  manure,  ete..  until  some  fidlow  breaks  them, 
when  they  are  left  on  the  spot  to  be  hunted  up  by  tin'  Super- 
visor in  road-working  time.  The  Road  Sui)ervis()r  is  for- 
bidden to  li>an  these  implements,  but  the  <uder  is  seldom, 
if  ever,  strict  ly  obeyed.  Tf,  however,  the  Supervisor  declines 
to  allow  his  neighbors  the  use  of  them,  his  refusal  is  looked 
upon  as  a  high-handed  usurpation  of  official  i)Ower. 

Within  recent  years  there  has  b(^n  considerable  talk 
of  improving  the  public  roads,  but  there  is  no  feasible  way  of 
doing  so,  other  tlian  by  the  efticient  use  of  the  grader  and 
jiroper  drainage,  leaving  is  out  of  the  question,  as  there  is 
na  available  supply  of  material  within  easy  reach. 

The  iron  bridge  has  not  yet  been  introduced,  but  doubt- 
less will  be  ere  long. 

Fashions,  Dress,  and  Lore-Making. 

M;)nroe  County  was  never  so  far  outside  the  pale  of 
civilization  as  to  render  wearing  apparel  superfluous,  al- 
though it  is  said  that  many  of  the  children  of  the  "Hairy 
Nation"  ran  naked  in  the  summer  time  and  barefooted  all 
the  year  round.  Ever3'  one  who  was  not  afraid  of  the  rattle- 
snakes went  barefooted  in  summer.  The  young  ladies 
turned  their  feet  out  to  grass,  say  the  last  of  May,  and  kept 
them  on  it  until  about  the  mi(hlle  of  September  or  the  first 
of  October,  and  from  then  on  liir»»ugliout  the  winter  wore 
their  Sunday  shoes.  \\'hen  they  walked  f(u-  miles  to  "meet- 
ing"' on  Sundays,  those  who  were  most  careful  and  prudent 
took  otf  their  shm^s  and  stockings  and  cooled  their  shapely 
white  feet  in  the  dust  until  nearing  the  meeting-house,  when 
they  w(Mild  slip  to  the  roa<lside.  give  their  feet  a  few 
"swipes"  in  the  tall  gi-ass  to  rennn-e  the  dust,  and  replace 
their  shoes.  ^lany  a  stately  dame  in  the  county  to-day  could 
testify  to  this  from  experiem-e  if  she  ^^()uld — ami  why  should 
she  not?     Tt  was  no  discredit. 

The  men  and  boys  began  to  go  barefooted  a  little  ear- 
lier in  the  season,  say  as  soon  as  grass  came.     Shoes  were 


200  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

not  worn  by  the  men  at  that  time,  nor  for  years  later,  as 
articles  of  dress.  The  coarse  boot  was  worn  throughout 
the  week,  and  the  more  fastidious  young  men  indulged  in 
light  calfskin  boots,  with  high,  narrow  heels,  for  Sunday 
wear.  If  these  boots  had  attractive  fancy  tops,  the  dude 
of  those  days  wore  his  pants  stuffed  inside  of  them,  and  sat 
on  the  front  row  of  ''puncheons"  at  meeting,  with  his  legs 
crossed  at  a  conspicuous  height,  much  to  the  admiration  of 
the  fair  sex. 

Among  the  "mashers"  of  those  days  were  Colonel  Dan 
Anderson,  Anson  Rowles,  Wm,  Webb,  Jake  Webb,  Bob  Gor- 
don, and  others.  Gordon  finally  became  insane,  and  one 
day  disappeared  and  was  never  again  seen. 

Colonel  Dan  Anderson  lived  to  attain  considerable  dis- 
tinction in  after  years  as  a  public  man,  in  both  civil  and  mili- 
tary capacities,  as  well  as  a  successful  attorney,  and  at  one 
time  he  was  favorably  mentioned  in  the  local  papers  as  a  gub- 
ernatorial candidate.  But  with  all  tlie  gallant  Colonel's  fame 
and  prowess  in  later  years,  he  was  not  "in  touch"  with  the 
good  graces  of  his  sweetheart's  parents,  at  the  time  when, 
like  Daniel  of  old,  he  began  to  receive  visions  (visions  of  the 
matrimonial  state).  The  girl  was  willing,  but  the  old  folks 
were  not.  In  Missouri  they  could  get  married  without  a 
license,  and  without  the  expenditure  of  the  unavoidable 
license  fee,  which  in  all  cases  had  to  be  paid  in  advance.  The 
young  Adonis  procured  a  "covered"  buggy,  at  that  time  a 
rai"e  luxury,  and  his  sweetheart  rolled  up  her  "Sunday-go-to- 
meetin'  dress"  in  a  bundle,  together  with  her  "hoops,"  and 
doubtless  other  bleached  muslin  articles  of  female  apparel 
essential  to  a  bridal  trousseau.  The  bundle  was  concealed  in 
the  prairie  grass  near  the  roadside,  on  the  outskirts  of  the 
village,  and  the  lovelorn  swain  drove  round,  ostensibly  to 
give  the  girl  a  short  buggy-ride.  They  then  made  "lickety- 
split"  for  the  Missouri  line,  were  married,  and  had  the  license 
fee  saved  with  which  to  go  to  housekeeping. 

While  the  prevailing  fashions  in  dress,  in  those  days, 
would  appear  quaint  now,  they  were  no  more  outlandish 
than  at  present.  While  the  dame  of  thirty  years  ago  incased 
her  lower  limbs  in  a  prodigious  hoopskirt,  the  belle  of  the 
present  day  lavishes  this  same  superabundance  of  material 
on  her  arms,  and  lets  her  legs  get  along  as  best  they  can,  with 
nothing  of  greater  consequence  than  a  mere  skirt.  Like  in- 
flammatory rheumatism  sometimes  does,  the  style  has  simply 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA.  201 

shifted  from  the  legs  to  the  arms,  and  it  canuot  very  well  be 
helped.  The  big  sleeves  of  to-day  do  uot  appear  to  be  sus- 
tained by  means  of  hoops  or  a  wire  frame-work;  neither  are 
they  stuffed.  The  material  is  starched  stiffly,  and  their  puff 
is  preserved  by  nieans  known  only  to  the  wearer. 

The  "sky-scraper"  bonnet  was  an  institution  of  a 
liitle  earlier  antiquity,  but  was  worn  by  some  as  late 
as  the  pion<^er  period  of  Monroe  County.  Then  came  the 
"shaker"  made  of  straw  or  palm-leaf.  It  somewhat  re- 
sembled a  calico  sunbonnet  in  form,  except  that  it  was  nar- 
l't>wer.  It  looked  a  little  like  a  sugar-scoop.  They  did  not 
have  any  tails  to  them  when  purchased,  and  the  first  thing 
the  ])urchaser  had  to  do,  on  buying  one,  was  to  sew  a  tail  to 
it,  composed  of  cloth.  Its  beauty  was  ephemeral,  as  it  soon 
lost  its  whiteness.  The  ladies  kept  it  pretty  well  bleached 
by  frequent  baptism  in  a  jar  of  buttermilk.  Another  way 
to  bleach  it  was  to  place  it  neai-  the  top,  inside  an  inverted 
barrel;  then  they  smoked  it  all  day  with  sulphur  fumes. 
The  odor  of  the  sulphur  remained  with  the  "shaker,"  but 
that  was  not  objected  to  in  society,  as  sulphur  and  the  odor 
from  it  was  reckoned  a  safeguard  against  the  prairie  itch 
in  those  days.  From  that  day  to  this,  the  bonnets,  both  great 
and  small,  have  come  and  gone,  each  year  witnessing  some 
strange  mutation  in  style,  and  bringing  with  the  change 
fresh  joys  and  gladsome  smiles  to  the  weai'er. 

After  the  linsey  period,  came  the  woolen  mill,  which  en- 
abled the  settlers  to  exchange  their  wool  for  cloth  manufact- 
ured at  the  factory  and  of  a  little  handsomer  appeai'ance. 
<  'asinet  was  a  heavy  cloth  for  masculine  wear,  composed 
partly  of  wool  and  partly  of  cotton.     It  wore  like  buckskin. 

A  calico  dress  was  the  one  thing  altogether  lovely  in 
the  eyes  of  the  pioneer  maiden.  It  cost  from  25  to  50  cents 
per  yard,  but  most  of  the  w'ell-to-do  ladies  managed  to  secure 
one  for  Sunday  wear,  or  in  which  to  array  herself  when  cir- 
cus day  came.  Many  a  j)oor  girl,  as  noble  and  handsome  as 
the  fairest  queen  of  earth,  has  wejtt  until  her  eyes  were  red 
because  she  did  not  have  a.  nice  calico  dress  to  wear  to  meet- 
ing, or  in  which  to  entertain  her  beau  on  Sunday  night. 

The  acquirement  of  a  pair  of  hoops  was  not  so  diflQcult  a 
matter.  If  her  father  refused  to  invest  in  a  pair  of  "store" 
hoops,  the  maiden  went  into  the  forest  and  selected  a  grace- 
ful grape-vine,  and  improvised  a  pair  of  hoops,  which,  to  all 
external  appearances,  were  fully  up  to  the  highest  pinnacle 
of  the  fashion. 


202  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

About  a  dozen  years  ago  the  hoopskirt  again  made  its 
appearance,  but  it  had  lost  its  old-time  rotundity,  and  was 
but  the  shadow  of  its  foinner  self.  It  soon  disappeared;  but 
some  day  it  will  rise  again,  to  fly  in  the  face  of  providence 
and  tempt  fate. 

About  twenty  years  ago  the  ladies  conceived  an  infatua- 
tion for  dress-goods  of  a  flaming  color  and  marked  in  large 
figures  like  bed-spread  calico.  It  was  called  ''Dolly  Varden" 
dress-goods.  At  another  period,  some  years  later,  every  girl 
wore  spotted  calico,  called  "polka  dot,"  and  a  bevy  of  chat- 
tering, rollicking  young  ladies  would  look  like  a  flock  of 
guineas. 

The  ''Mother  Hubbard"  is  the  greatest  monstrosity  of 
all.  It  haunts,  like  a  specter,  every  lady's  closet,  but  seldom 
walks  forth  in  the  broad  light  of  day.  For  a  while  it  made 
a  bold,  defiant  eft'ort  to  gain  the  street,  but  was  soon  rele- 
gated to  the  back  yard,  where  it  is  occasionally  seen  scamper- 
ing stealthily  between  the  kitchen  door  and  the  wood-pile  or 
puiiip,  but  instanth^  vanishing  within  doors  on  the  approach 
of  an  intruder.  In  appearance  it  resembles  a.  bag  of  table 
salt  of  prodigious  size,  the  gathering-string  at  the  top  corre- 
sponding  to  the  collar.  Unhappily,  the  Mother  Hubbard 
difl'ers  in  one  respect:  it  has  no  bottom  in  it,  like  the  salt-bag. 

Courtship  in  those  days  was  conducted  under  about  the 
same  underlying  principles  as  now — i.  e.,  the  object  to  be  at- 
tained was  marriage.  The  science  was  in  a  much  more  rudi- 
mentary state  then,  but  the  end  seemed  to  justify  the  means. 
The  process  was  sufficient  unto  the  day,  and  every  couple  who 
were  in  the  right  frame  of  mind  managed  to  strike  up  a 
nmtch.  They  did  it  without  buggy-riding  (there  were  no 
buggies  then),  without  lawn  tennis  parties,  without  sipping 
lemonade  through  rye-straws,  or  spooning  at  the  ice  cream 
table.  They  did  not  even  have  a  sofa  on  which  to  sit  on  the 
veranda  at  late  hours,  when  Cupid  is  supposed  to  lurk  in  the 
vicinity.  The  swain  courted  his  sweetheart  in  the  presence 
of  her  folks,  because  the  cabin  had  but  one  room;  and  when 
the  other  members  of  the  family  wished  to  retire  for  the 
night,  the  lovers  had  to  hold  up  a  bed-quilt  between  them- 
selves and  the  ]>eds,  until  the  old  folks  were  safely  tucked  in 
bed.  The  swain  llien  toid  his  story  of  love  in  the  faint, 
wavering  light  of  the  tallow-dip,  and  had  to  be  brief  about  it, 
for  the  light  was  liable  to  go  out  at  any  moment.  When  they 
went  to  singing-school,  they  rode  horseback,  if  he  had  two 


HISTOHY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA.  203 

hoist's;  if  he  had  ouly  oue,  and  it  carried  double,  he  took  her 
on  behind  and  she  hooked  her  arms  around  his  waist  to  stick 
on.  If  they  had  to  ride  bareback,  ajid  encountered  a  steep 
hill  to  descend,  they  drew  "Old  Fan's"  tail  up  over  their 
shoulders,  and.  by  holding  on  to  it,  avoided  slipping  forward 
over  the  animal's  withers. 

Thomas  Smith,  of  Urbana  Township,  who  died  some 
years  ago,  used  to  relate  his  love-making  experience.  He 
was  fat  and  jolly,  and  it  seems  that  the  incident  did  not 
permanently  blight  his  heart.  He  went  by  the  irreverent 
appellation  of  "old  Bean  Smith." 

He  and  old  Sam  Daal  were  rivals  for  the  hand  of  the 
widow  \'andever,  who  lived  over  the  line  in  Missouri.  It 
took  a  day  or  two  to  make  the  trip,  and  it  was  vitally  im- 
portant that  both  suitors  should  not  make  their  calls  on  the 
same  night,  because  there  was  but  one  room  in  the  house, 
and  the  widow  and  her  lover  were  obliged  to  sit  up  all 
night.  There  was  neither  straw-stack  nor  a  dwelling-house 
near  the  widow  ^'andever's,  and  if  both  beaus  called  on 
the  same  date,  one  would  have  to  go  home,  as  there  was 
no  other  place  to  lodge. 

One  night,  a  short  time  after  "old  Bean"  had  called, 
Djuil  shuttled  in,  not  knowing  that  his  rival  was  present. 
He  was  attired  in  his  bare  feet,  as  it  was  his  custom  to  go 
barefooted  on  all  occasions.  There  was  a  big  rain  that  night, 
and  the  creek  was  up  so  high  that  the  lover  could  not  recross 
to  return  home,  liotli  suitors  sat  up  with  the  widow  all 
night,  but,  as  Smith  arrived  first,  he  held  the  "right-of-way," 
juid  did  all  the  wooing,  while  Daal  had  to  remain  a  silent 
spectator  with  his  chin  r»'sting  in  his  hands  and  his  elbows 
supported  <m  his  kne(  s.  He  was  a  "Pennsylvania  Dutch- 
man." About  daylight  he  slowly  raised  his  head  and  ob- 
served:    "I  likes  snapper  better  as  c-o-o-n." 

This  confession  seems  to  have  been  in  conformity  with 
the  widow's  own  epicurean  tastes,  and  as  snapping-turtles 
were  abundant  on  the  creek,  the  declaration  went  straight  to 
liei'  lie.irt ;  for  she  married  Daal  shortly  afterwards  and  the 
two  subsisted  happily  on  "snai»per"  for  many  years. 

While  in  some  respects  the  methods  emi)loyed  in  pioneer 
courtship  were  of  a  tendency  calculated  to  discourage  the 
candidate,  there  were  other  phases  of  the  proce^ss  which  in 
tura  greatly  facilitated  the  juactitioners  in  ascertaining  the 
"lay  of  the  land,''  so  far  as  any  ojtposition  from  the  girl's 
parents  and  Vtrotht vj  was  conccrnni. 


204  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

If  the  girl's  fatker  or  brother  put  the  young  man's  horse 
up  and  fed  it,  it  was  a  tacit  understanding  all  round  that 
the  matrimonial  negotiations  between  the  lovers  had  the 
hearty  approval  of  the  family;  but  if  the  poor  animal  was 
left  hitched  to  the  fence  to  shiver  and  freeze  with  cold,  the 
young  man  took  the  hint,  and  either  gave  up  the  enterprise, 
or,  in  company  with  the  girl,  ran  oft'  to  Missouri  and  got 
married  in  detiance  of  the  old  folks.  Thus  a  young  man 
did  not  have  to  encounter  the  modern  disadvantages  of 
uncertainty,  and  was  able  to  lavish  his  affections  and  good 
money  on  the  girl  in  an  intelligent  and  definite  manner. 
Nowadays  he  does  not  know  which  way  "the  cat  is  going 
to  jump"  until  the  invitation  cards  are  out.  He  simply 
invests  his  mone.y  and  attections  and  takes  his  chances,  the 
same  as  when  dallj^ing  with  the  wheel-of-f ortune  spindle. 

After  the  young  folks  got  married,  the  bride,  if  of  a  well- 
to-do  family,  furnished  the  feather-tick  and  a  quilted  '^com- 
fort"  or  two,  and  usually  one  cow,  which  every  girl  on 
contemplating  marriage  "claimed"  from  her  pa's  herd  as 
her  property.  The  cow  was  usually  well  paid  for  by  the 
young  lady  in  the  way  of  services  rendered  her  pa  by 
"dropping"  corn,  or  hoeing  sod-corn,  or  performing  some 
other  field  labor.  The  bridegroom  usually  supplied  a  horse, 
or,  under  more  auspicious  circumstances,  a  mare  and  colt. 
His  mother  usuallj^  gave  him  a  pair  of  blankets,  a  straw- 
tick,  and  sometimes  a  bedstead.  These,  together  with  a 
cook-stove,  a  few  dishes,  and  a  pig  or  two,  were  about  all 
a  young  married  couple  needed  in  the  way  of  furniture  for 
the  fiirst  year;  but  invariably  at  or  near  the  end  of  the  year 
the  young  couple  added  to  their  collection  of  household 
utensils  a  rectangular  box,  mounted  on  the  two  semicircular 
halves  of  a  barrel-head,  each  placed  transversely  near  either 
end  of  the  box  and  nailed  edgewise  on  the  bottom. 

The  '^wool-picking"  was  a  social  event  corresponding 
in  some  respects  to  the  tea-party  of  the  present  day,  only 
the  hostess  did  not  resort  to  the  preliminary  formality  of 
issuing  invitation  c^rds;  she  did  not  receive  her  guests  in 
a  satin  gown,  and  the  hour  and  minute  when  the  guests  were 
expected  to  depart  w-ere  not  stated,  as  on  an  invitation  card. 

When  the  guests  had  all  assembled,  the  wool  was 
placed  in  bunches  upon  the  chairs.  Chairs  were  usually  of 
the  "split-bottom"  variety — i.  c,  the  bottoms  were  formed 
of  strips  of  hickory  or  lind  bark  Interwoven.       (There  was 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA.  205 

always  a  handy  raan  in  every  neighborhood  who  bottomed 
chairs.)  Then  tlie  wool  was  biaten  with  sticks  until  it 
was  loosened  up,  and  tlie  grit  and  dirt  drojtjted  down  through 
the  chair  bottom.  The  guests  then  took  it  by  small  bunches 
and  "picked"  it  with  their  fingers  until  the  fibers  were  all 
loosely  intermixed.  While  doing  this,  they  chatted  and 
gossiped  just  as  ladies  now  do  over  their  tea. 

After  being  "picked,''  the  wool  was  ready  to  be  washed. 
It  was  usually  taken  to  some  clear  pool  of  water  of  some 
neighboring  stream,  and,  when  placed  in  tubs  of  hot  water, 
was  tramped  by  barefooted  boys  until  of  a  snowy  white 
color,  when  it  was  taken  to  the  carding  machine,  greased, 
and  run  into  ''rolls,"  or  long  loose  ropes  about  the  diameter 
of  one's  finger.  These  were  then  ready  for  the  big  spinning- 
wheel,  which  was  to  be  found  in  every  well-regulated 
family. 

This  wheel  was  a  wooden  circle,  about  five  feet  in 
diameter,  and  in  the  center  of  its  periphery  was  a  groove, 
in  which  ran  a  band  or  c(U'd,  wliich,  acting  as  a  belt  in  con- 
nection with  the  spindle,  caused  the  latter  to  revolve  with 
great  rapidity  when  the  wheel  was  put  in  motion.  The 
housewife  would  moisten  the  end  of  the  "roll"  with  her 
thumb  and  finger,  place  it  in  contact  with  the  spindle,  start 
the  wheel  by  means  of  a  short  stick  held  in  the  hand,  with 
which  she  struck  a  spoke  of  the  wheel  with  a  propelling 
movement.  The  wheel  was  made  to  revolve  with  great 
rapidity.  The  spindle,  humming  cheerfully,  would  twist 
the  "roll"  into  a  strand  of  yarn  the  length  of  the  roll,  when 
another  roll  was  spliced  on,  and  a  continuous  thread  was 
thus  spun. 

The  ''Ha in/  Nation:' 

When  the  Lord  confused  the  tongues  at  the  building  of 
the  tower  of  Babel,  a  small  colony,  finding  that  they  could 
not  babble  with  any  degree  of  satisfaction,  concluded  they 
would  follow  Horace  Greeley's  advice  and  "go  west  and 
grow  up  with  the  country."  They  departed  in  eight  small 
vessels,  whicli  were  "tight  like  unto  a  dish.''  as  the  re])ort 
says.  They  finally  landed  on  the  New  England  coast,  in  the 
State  of  New  York,  where  they  grew  into  a  great  nation. 
They  inhabited  America  for  about  fifteen  hundred  years, 
and  were  finally  all  destroyed  for  their  wickedness  about 
six  hundred  years  before  Thrist.     The  prophet  Esther  wrote 


206  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

their  history.  He  lived  to  witness  their  entire  destruction, 
and  deposited  his  record  where  it  was  afterwards  found  by 
a  colony  of  Jews,  who  came  from  Jerusalem  six  hundred 
years  before  Christ,  to  repeofjle  America.  This  last  colony 
were  descendants  of  the  tribe  of  Joseph.  They  increased 
rapidly,  and  finally  became  divided  into. two  mighty  nations. 
One  of  these  nations  was  called  the  Nephites  and  the  other 
the  Lamanites,  Nephi  being  the  leader  of  one  branch  and 
Laman  of  the  other. 

The  Lamanites  were  dark-skinned,  and  did  not  take 
much  to  civil  pursuits.  They  wore  feathers  down  their 
backs,  and  bear-claws  as  ornaments  around  their  necks. 
They  were  copper-colored,  and  became  skilled  with  the  bow. 
The  Nephites  were  fair-complected,  and  received  enlighten- 
ment. They  were  highly  favored  of  the  Lord,  and  received 
visions  and  the  gift  of  prophecy,  and  finally  were  favored 
with  a  personal  appearance  of  the  Lord. 

The  two  tribes  got  along  nicely  for  a  while,  and  by  close 
application  to  study  soon  learned  to  talk  in  a  language  of 
their  own.  The  children  of  these  pioneer  families  learned 
their  A  B  C's  rapidly,  and  multiplied  on  the  face  of  the 
earth.  The  two  tribes  finally  drew  the  color  line,  and  fell 
out.     They  began  a  war  of  extermination. 

The  Nephites  occupied  the  lower  portion  of  North 
America  and  Central  America.  Here  they  built  the  cities 
of  Ottulum,  Gadiandi,  (Jimgimno,  and  others,  in  the  reign 
of  King  Jacobuggath  the  Second. 

The  old  sunken  city  of  Port  Royal,  on  the  Nicaragua 
coast,  submerged  far  beneath  the  surface  of  the  blue  depths 
of  the  ocean,  was  one  of  these  ancient  cities;  for,  as  the 
prophet  Coriantimer  said:  "Behold,  the  great  city  of 
Zarahemla  have  I  burned  with  fire,  and  the  inhabitants 
thereof.  And  behold,  that  great  city  of  Moroni  have  I 
caused  to  be  sunk  into  the  depths  of  the  sea,  and  the  in- 
habitants thereof  to  be  drowned.  And  behold,  the  great 
city  of  Moronihah  have  T  covered  with  earth,  and  the  in- 
habitants thereof,  to  hide  their  iniquities  and  their  abomi- 
nations from  before  my  face.  The  city  of  Gilgal  have  I 
caused  to  be  sunk;  yea,  and  the  city  of  Onihah  and  the 
inhabitants  thereof,  and  the  city  of  Mocum  and  the  inhab- 
itants thereof;  and  waters  have  I  caused  to  come  up  in  the 
stead  thereof." 

Mormon  was  a  gentleman  who  lived  at  that  time  and 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  !O^VA.  207 

wrote  a  history  of  his  people.  When  he  died,  his  son  Moroni 
continued  the  records  down  to  A.  1).  ISlM).  and  tlien  dei>osited 
them  in  a  vault  on  a  hillside,  called  Cuiuoiah,  in  what  is 
now  Oneida  (^ounty,  Manchester  Township,  New  York. 

Here  the  records  remained  until  .Iose[)h  Smith,  in  1824, 
was  directed  to  the  spot  by  an  anjiel  of  the  Lord.  The 
anjrel  showed  Smith  the  locality,  but  would  not  let  him  take 
them  up  until  he  had  spent  four  years  in  prayer  and  fasting. 
Then  in  1827  the  anjjel  escorted  Joe  to  the  spot  and  told 
him  he  might  dig.  Joe  dug,  and  ]>ried  open  the  vault,  and 
found  two  tablets  of  beaten  gold  containing  Hebrew 
characters.  "And  lol  the  angel  of  the  Lord,  who  had 
previously  visited  him.  again  stood  in  his  presence,  and  he 
was  filled  with  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  the  glory  of  the  Lord 
shone  round  about  him.'' 

Smith  claimed  further,  that  with  the  tablets  he  found 
two  clear  stones,  corresponding  to  the  urim  and  thummim 
of  the  r>ible.  These  he  looked  through  and  translated  the 
inscriptions,  from  which  he  devised  the  "Book  of  Mormon," 
which  contains  the  foregoing  narrative. 

The  Nephites  were  all  exterminated  by  the  Lamanites. 
The  Lamanites  were  the  American  Indians.  Smith  had 
jireviously  found  a  pair  of  very  clear  pebbles,  and  the 
tliougliT  occurred  to  him  to  turn  them  to  some  account. 

At  about  that  time  a  gentleman  named  S]»aulding, 
having  visited  the  country  of  the  Montezumas  and  made  a 
study  of  Aztec  and  Toltec  archeology,  wrote  a  fictitious 
sketch,  purporting  to  be  a  history  of  the  early  settlements 
of  America,  prior  to  the  times  of  Columbus.  Joe  Smith 
stole  the  manuscript  before  Spaulding  got  it  printed,  and 
as  soon  as  the  latter  died,  he,  with  the  aid  of  Sidney  Rigdon, 
dressed  it  up  into  what  they  called  the  ''liook  of  Mormon," 
on  which  is  based  the  religion  of  the  Mormon  Church. 

Later.the  ^rormons, iinder  the  leadership  of  Smith,  were 
driven  from  place  to  place;  and  when  they  were  expelled 
from  Xauvoo.  111.,  «Tfter  the  assassination  of  their  prophet 
in  the  Carthage  jail  in  1840,  they,  under  the  leadership  of 
their  new  prophet,  Brigham  Young,  began  their  long  march 
f'»r  the  Salt  Lake  basin.  \Yhih»  en  route  many  stoppeil 
along  the  way  to  rest  and  raise  a  crop  before  continuing 
their  wearisome  journey.  Some  settled  in  Davis  County, 
Iowa,  while  others  settled  in  Monroe  County  and  at  Garden 
Grove.  Lucas  County,  and  other  places  in  the  West. 


208  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

Those  who  settled  in  Davis  County  were  called  the 
"Hairy  Nation,"  and  the  same  appellation  was  applied  to 
those  who  settled  in  Monroe  County,  in  Mantua  Township. 
While  they  had  been  Mormons,  they  apostatized  when 
Young,  the  new  leader  and  prophet,  began  to  inculcate  the 
doctrine  of  polygamy.  It  will  be  remembered  that  polygamy 
was  not  instituted  in  the  church  until  Brigham  Young  was 
selected  as  their  leader.  Hence  the  ''Hairy  Nation"  were 
never  polygamous  Mormons. 


BISTORT  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA.  209 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

Early  Joys  and  tSorrown. 

While  the  early  settlers  had  to  eiicoiuiter  many  hard- 
ships, there  were  still  a  few  threads  of  gold  running  in  the 
woof  and  warp  of  their  pioneer  lives.  Their  cheeks  were 
aglow  with  health,  their  hopes  were  strong,  and  their  hearts 
were  light. 

There  were  no  social  barriers  excluding  the  poor  from 
the  rich;  all  were  poor  in  this  world's  goods,  yet  all  enjoyed 
a  wealth  of  honor,  social  equality,  and  contentment.  Some- 
times the  meal-chest  became  empty,  and  before  Haymaker's 
mill  had  been  built  on  Cedar  Creek,  a  domestic  strait  of  this 
kind  entailed  considerable  inconvenience  on  the  settler.  A 
milling  trip  required  from  a  week's  to  three  weeks'  time. 
Sometimes  the  settler  had  to  'Svait  his  turn"  for  several 
days.  When  this  was  llie  case,  he  slept  in  the  mill  at  night, 
f>r  used  his  own  wagon  as  a  sleeping  apartment.  He  also 
look  along  ])r()visions  for  several  days,  and  if  these  became 
exhausted,  he  had  his  rifle  and  fishing  tackle  with  which  to 
solve  the  dihMuma.  The  mills  were  located  at  Bentons])ort, 
Keosauqua,  or  sometimes  the  settler  had  to  go  as  far  as 
liurlington. 

^^'hen  there  wei'c  deep  snows  or  imi)assable  roads,  every- 
body ran  out  of  bread-stuff  and  had  to  either  live  on  boiled 
corn  or  else  take  their  corn  to  the  home  of  the  writer's 
grandfather,  Thos.  Hickenloo])er.  who  lived  where  the  town 
of  Foster  now  stands,  and  grind  their  grist  on  a  hand-mill 
something  similar  to  the  spice-mills  now  seen  in  grocery 
stores.  It  was  operated  by  a  crank,  and  contained  a  fly- 
wheel about  two  feet  in  diametei'.  drinding  on  this  mill 
was  laborious  work,  and,  like  the  mills  of  the  gods,  ground 
slowly;  but  not  exceedingly  fine,  like  the  latter,  for  the  buhrs 
were  dull.  The  remains  of  the  old  mill  are  still  lying  about 
the  old  Uickenl<)0i)er  homestead. 

It  may  seem  strange  to  state  that  during  the  first  few 
years  of  the  county's  settlement  water  was  scarce.  The 
settlers  either  did  not  know  where  to  dig  for  it  or  else  there 
was  none  on  the  fiat,  high,  prairie  regions.  Old  settlers 
still  claim  that  there  was  but  little  living  water  in  the 


210  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

ground  until  after  the  soil  liad  been  broken  and  cultivated 
for  several  seasons.  It  all  drained  off  into  streams,  the 
virgin  sod  shedding  it  without  absorbing  it.  Nobody  ever 
thought  of  constructing  ponds  or  reservoirs. 

The  prairie-itch  was  another  pioneer  luxury  which  the 
people  of  the  present  generation  do  not  enjoy.  It  usually 
entered  on  a  seven-years  lease  with  the  latter,  but  at  the 
end  of  that  period  the  lessee  was  seldom  evicted  from  the 
premises.  It  ran  through  families,  and  many  well  regulated 
families  were  never  without  it.  It  was  a  sort  of  heirloom 
in  those  families.  It  is  generally  understood  that  the  itch 
is  fostered  by  habits  of  filth  and  unwholesome  neglect  of 
Ihe  bodily  condition,  thus  inviting  a  small  animal  parasite 
to  burrow  near  the  surface  of  the  skin,  subsisting  on  the 
impurities  of  the  blood.  It  is  hard,  however,  to  account  for 
the  greater  prevalence  of  the  dise.ise  in  early  days  unless 
it  may  be  referred  to  the  fact  that  in  those  days  of 
scarcity  of  clothing  many  peoide  were  obliged  to  wear  a 
single  suit  for  a  great  length  of  time  without  change  or 
washing.  This,  of  course,  rendered  the  skin  impure,  and 
made  it  possible  for  the  parasite  to  seize  a  foothold. 

21)  c  Charkari. 

In  1847  there  were  but  four  families  in  the  village  of 
Albia.  Two  of  these  families  occupied  the  little  log  court- 
liouse — viz.,  the  Flints  and  the  Marcks.  Dr.  Flint  had  two 
charming  daughters — Amy  and  Nancy.  Jonas  Wescoatt 
won  the  heart  of  the  fair  Amy,  and  Robert  Meek,  who  for 
many  years  since  was  one  of  the  proprietors  of  the  well- 
known  woolen  mills  of  Bonaparte,  la.,  wooed  the  equally 
charming  Nancy.  Tlie  wedding  was  to  be  a  double  affair, 
and  special  efforts  were  taken  by  tlie  contracting  parties 
to  evade  the  inevitable  charivari. 

On  the  10th  of  October  the  wedding  day  was  arranged, 
and  Mr.  Meek  drove  over  in  a  spring-wagon,  and  the  plan 
was  to  drive  to  Eddyville  immediately  after  the  ceremony 
and  escape  the  serenading  crowd.  During  the  evening  of 
the  9th  the  boys  ''got  wind"  of  the  affair  on  the  morrow, 
and  of  the  plans  to  escape;  so  they  took  off  one  of  the  wagon- 
wheels  and  concealed  it.  No  trace  of  the  wheel  could  be 
found,  and  the  bridal  parties  were  thrown  into  great  con- 
sternation. When  the  hour  fixed  for  the  marriage  arrived, 
the  justice  made  his  appearance  on  time,  but  the  bridal 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA.  211 

quartet  was  conspicuously  absent.  The  assembled  crowd  of 
boys  grew  uproarious  in  their  glee,  for  they  thought  the 
wedding  had  been  postponed.  The  justice,  however,  had 
been  notified  to  return  home  and  reai)pear  in  the  evening 
and  tie  the  knot  secretl3\  He  did  so,  and  the  newly  coupled 
quartet  repaired  to  the  cottage  of  Mr.  Wescoatt  to  spend  the 
night. 

In  the  meantime,  however,  when  Mr.  Michael  Lower, 
the  justice,  reappeared,  he  was  followed  by  a  spy,  who  saw 
the  nuptial  proceedings  and  communicated  the  fact  to  the 
crowd.  Late  at  night  they  stormed  the  Wescoatt  strong- 
hold and  forced  the  garrison  .to  capitulate.  The  charivari 
was  a  grand  success,  and  each  bride  w^as  compelled  to 
present  herself  to  receive  the  blessing  of  the  crowd. 

In  the  morning  the  missing  w-heel  was  found  by  the  side 
of  the  wagon. 

An  Interesting  Find. 

One  fall,  in  the  '50s,  Dr.  Gutch,  then  a  young  medical 
student,  was  teaching  school  near  where  klaxon  now  stands. 
One  day,  during  the  noon  hour,  he  and  the  schoolboys  were 
out  on  the  hillsides,  gathering  hazel-nuts.  They  saw  a 
strange  object  some  distance  away,  near  the  roadside.  Some 
thought  it  a  deer,  others  a  mad  dog  having  a  fit.  They  crept 
cautiously  up  to  it  to  investigate,  and  they  finally  discovered 
that  it  was  a  man.  They  approached  the  apparently  lifeless 
form,  and  discovered  it  to  be  that  of  Joe  McMullen.  Gutch 
examined  his  pulse,  and  then  remarked:  "Damned  if  he  ain't 
alive!"  They  carried  him  to  a  hay-stack  near  by,  and  in  due 
time  he  became  conscious,  and  returned  home.  Be  had  just 
made  a  horse-trade  with  Jesse  Snodgrass,  and  had  gotten 
^15  to  boot.  He  had  considered  it  a  good  trad*';  and  to  get 
the  better  of  Jesse  Snodgrass,  in  a  horse-trade  was  an 
achievement  worthy  of  celebrating  by  taking  a  drink  at 
Harrow's  grocery.  He  had  taken  a  little  too  much,  and  on 
his  return  home  had  become  "becalmed." 

Bee-Hunting. 

The  early  settlers  found  the  forests  alive  with  wild 
honey-bees.  Almost  anyone  could  find  a  bee-tree  by  stroll- 
ing through  tlie  woods  and  examining  every  knot-hole  in  the 
trees;  but  the  professional  bee-hunter  had  a  more  method- 
ical way  of  locating  the  hive.     The  honey-bee,  as  everyone 


212  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

knows,  flies  straight,  or  in  a  "bee-line,"  to  its  home,  when 
laden  with  honey,  and  in  order  to  get  the  exact  bearings  of 
the  bee-tree,  the  hunter  took  the  "course"  of  the  homing-bee. 
There  were  several  ways  of  securing  these  observations.  One 
way  was  for  the  hunter  to  lie  down  flat  on  the  ground  in  the 
midst  of  a  growth  of  wild  flowers,  and  as  the  bee  which  came 
to  work  on  the  blossoms  took  its  departure,  the  falcon- 
eyed  bee-hunter  got  its  "course"  and  followed  it  up.  Some- 
times the  distance  would  be  a  mile  or  more. 

It  is  said  that  when  the  bee-hunter  became  old  and  dim 
of  eyesight,  he  seized  the  bee,  and,  removing  its  sting,  thrust 
in  its  place  a  tiny  white  feather,  and  then  released  the  insect. 
In  its  flight  homeward  he  could  follow  with  his  eye  the  white 
feather  for  a  long  distance.  This,  however,  is  perhaps  a 
popular  vagarism. 

Another  method  was  to  attract  the  bee  to  a  certain  lo- 
cality by  means  of  "bait."  This  bait  consisted  of  a  pair  of 
corn-cobs  placed  in  a  fruit-can  and  saturated  with  a  saline 
fluid  always  available.  The  bees  would  gather  in  large  num- 
bers, and  the  hunter,  lying  on  his  stomach  underneath  the 
suspended  "bait,"  got  his  "courses." 

Another  method  was  to  go  into  the  forest  and  burn 
lioneycorab,  when  the  scent  of  the  burning  would  attract 
Ihe  bees. 

Sometimes  a  bee-tree  would  yield  as  high  as  several 
liundred  pounds  of  honey,  and  the  hunter's  accumulation  of 
sweets  was  usually  stored  in  "dug-outs,"  or  large  troughs 
made  of  cottonwood  logs. 

Among  the  writer's  earliest  recollections  are  several  of 
these  old  "dug-outs"  stored  in  his  grandfather's  smoke-house. 
They  had  at  first  been  used  to  hold  honey,  then,  later,  as  re- 
ceptacles for  containing  pork;  and,  within  the  writer's  recol- 
lection, held  soft  soap.  Barrels  were  not  so  plentiful  as 
now,  and  it  was  an  easy  task  to  hollow  out  a  large  log  of  soft 
wood  to  take  their  place. 

Bee-trees  are  still  frequently  found  in  the  woods,  but  the 
hives  do  not  thrive,  and  seldom  live  through  the  winter.  The 
bees  are  from  tame  colonies,  and  they  do  not  seem  to  adapt 
themselves  to  habitations  in  trees. 

The  Log-Cabin. 

The  nearest  approach  to  a  "house  not  made  with  hands" 
was  the  log-shanty  of  the  "squatter."     The  logs  did  not  so 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA.  213 

much  as  have  the  bark  removed,  and  the  floor,  at  least,  was 
made  by  the  Supreme  Architect  of  the  universe,  for  it  con- 
sisted of  the  bare  ground.  The  chimney  was  made  of  sticks 
and  mud,  and  the  roof  was  formed  of  chipboards,  or,  not  un- 
frequently,  of  layers  of  slough-grass. 

This  dwelling  was  but  a  temporary  structure,  and  as 
soon  as  the  '^sq natter"  made  up  his  mind  to  take  a  claim,  he 
set  about  to  erect  a  more  elaborate  building.  He  cut  the 
finest  white  oak  logs  which  he  could  find  in  the  forest,  hewed 
them  perfectly  square  and  smooth,  and  with  his  ox-team 
hauled  them  to  his  building-site.  Then  he  invited  the  entire 
community  to  the  "house-raising."  This  was  a  tremendous 
social  affair.  The  neighboring  housewives,  for  a  radius  of 
ten  or  twelve  miles,  came  in  and  helped  bake  pumpkin  pies. 
or  brought  them  with  other  victuals  already  cooked.  The 
young  ladies  came  too,  but,  as  they  were  ''dressed  up"  in 
their  "hoops,"  they  merely  "set  around,"  or  helped  wait  on 
the  .tables. 

In  the  crowd  there  were  always  men  who  were  locally 
famous  as  good  "cornermen" — i.  c,  men  who  could  carry  up 
the  corner  of  a  log-house  with  more  skill  than  others.  One 
of  these  was  selected  for  each  of  the  four  corners,  and,  as 
might  be  supposed,  each  vied  with  the  other  in  a  contest  of 
skill.  When  the  writer's  grandfather's  house  was  erectea, 
the  prospective  occupant  of  the  structure  offered  a  premium 
of  a  bushel  of  potatoes  to  the  "cornerman"  doing  the  best 
job.  Allan  White  bore  off"  the  prize,  though  Lewis  Arnold 
came  in  as  a  close  second. 

This  house  was  built  in  1848  or  1850,  and  was  a  large 
two-story.  It  was  then  sided  with  lumber  hauled  from  "the 
river"  and  was  skirted  with  two  verandas  and  all  painte<l 
white.  It  was  one  of  the  largest  edifices  in  the  neighbor- 
hood, and  its  owner,  in  consequence  of  a  kind  of  baronial 
homage,  accorded  to  him  by  his  neighbors  through  a  venera- 
tion for  the  size  of  the  house  and  the  number  of  chimneys, 
elected  him  "squire,"  and  his  son  Charles  constable,  which 
emohiments  they  shared  for  several  yeai's.  The  house  is 
still  standing,  and  when  remodeled,  a  few  months  ago,  the 
huge  square  logs  were  found  to  be  as  firm  and  solid  as  when 
they  were  placed  in  position  nearly  forty  years  ago;  but  the 
"cornermen"  are  all  long  since  dead. 

When  a  house  was  raised,  and  the  "puncheon"  floor  laid, 
the  festivities  were  concluded  by  a  big  dance,  or  "ball,"  as 


214  HISTORY  OF  MONRUfJ  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

the  eminently  respectable  tone  of  the  pioneer  dance  was  en- 
titled to  be  termed.  It  was  a  thoroughly  cultivated  and  re- 
spectable affair,  and  was  very  different  from  many  of  the 
public  dances  of  the  present  day. 

The  "Hoedown:' 

Such  is  the  name  commonly  applied  to  the  free-for-all 
public  dance.  While  those  who  participate  in  the  "hoe- 
down" are  by  no  means  rude  or  scantily  civilized,  yet  at  the 
public  dance-house  they  come  in  contact,  and  for  the  time 
being,  at  least,  are  placed  on  the  same  social  level,  with 
persons  of  both  sexes  whom  they  would  not  recognize  on 
the  street  or  in  the  home. 

At  the  common  "hoedown"  those  French  terms  used 

by  the  man  who  "calls  off"  are  Anglicised  into  plain  English; 

for  instance,  the  caller  will  shout  the  familiar  term  "Chassez 

partners!"  but  in  the  "hoedown"  whirl  it  is  translated  into: 

"Swing  your  taw, 

Eveiybody  dauce  to  please  Grandpa!" 

Another  term  is  indicated  thus : 

"Crow  hop  out  and  bird  hop  in, 
All  jine  flippers  and  swing  'em  agin!" 

Or,  if  the  gentleman  is  directed  to  swing  to  the  right 
and  the  lady  to  the  left,  the  man  who  "calls  off"  shouts 
from  his  elevated  position  on  the  inverted  barrel:  "Jay- 
bird to  the  right,  yellow-hammer  to  the  left!" 

Taken  as  a  whole,  the  "hoedown"  has  its  legitimate 
place  in  society,  and  ought  not  to  be  too  harshly  criticised. 

Camp-Meetings  and  Watei'-Melons. 

Unhappily,  the  old-fashioned  Methodist  camp-meeting 
is  a  joy  of  the  past.  The  church  edifice  has  long  since 
gathered  the  people  away  from  "God's  first  temples"  and 
encompassed  them  by  frescoed  walls  and  vaulted  ceilings. 
Instead  of  "Coronation,"  "Antioch,"  and  "Old  Hundred" 
rolling  out  upon  the  assemblage  o^  rich  and  poor  alike  in 
a  flood  of  harmony,  awakening  a  spiritual  warmth  in  every 
heart,  the  fashionable  church  walls  reecho  the  superb  strains 
of  some  lofty  anthem,  which,  while  sung  by  a  trained  choir, 
accompanied  by  violin,  cornet,  and  pipe  organ,  yet  fails  to 
find  a  responsive  chord  in  every  heart. 

The  aged  sister,  old-fashioned  in  both  her  ways  and  her 
garb,  likes  to  go  where  she  can  try  to  sing,  even  though 
she  cannot  "carry  ^  tune."     At  the  old-time  camp-meeting 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA.  21 "» 

she  could  both  exercise  her  discordant  voice  and  wear  her 
plain  bonnet  and  calico  };own  without  being  stared  at. 

The  meeting  was  conducted  under  the  foliage  of  some 
grove,  or  sometimes  beneath  a  great  tent.  Those  who  at- 
tended from  a  distance  lived  in  tents  pitched  on  the  grounds, 
where  the}'  cooked  their  meals  and  slept  at  night  on  straw- 
beds.  The  camp-meeting  was  usually  ht'ld  in  September, 
and  the  water-melon  was  the  fruit  olTering  and  the  fried 
chickens  the  burnt  ottering  at  this  sacred  tabernacle. 

Of  later  years,  the  modern  "holiness"  oifshoot  of  the 
United  ]irethren  Church,  and  a  kindred  organization  split- 
ting off  from  the  Methodist  and  other  churches,  and  taking 
the  name  of  "Friends,"'  have  each  revived  the  old-time 
camp-meeting  to  some  extent.  They  hold  periodical  sessions 
in  camps,  and  in  their  devotional  practices  are  distinguished 
by  a  fervor  in  some  cases  amounting  to  a  frenz}'.  At  times 
the  subject  lies  in  a  cataleptic  state  for  hours,  unconscious 
of  surroundings. 

The  "Hardshell"  or  Missionary  Baptist  preachers  of 
early  days  approached  nearest  to  the  ideal  conception  of 
John  tlie  Baptist  of  any  of  the  champions  of  Christ.  While 
they  did  not  subsist  on  locusts,  they  may  have  begirted  them- 
selves with  leathern  girdles.  At  any  rate,  they  were  usually 
of  a  migratory  species  of  divine,  ranging  up  and  down  the 
streams  and  holding  revivals  in  the  little  school-houses. 
They  scorned  to  preach  for  money  and  always  guaranteed 
salvation  "without  money  and  without  price-ah."  They 
affixed  the  syllable  '*alr'  to  the  end  of  every  sentence  as  a 
sort  of  declamatory  balance-wheel  to  regulate  the  inflections 
of  their  vtuces  They  were  good  men  in  any  cai)acity,  but 
they  had  a  particular  aversion  to  high-toned  churches,  and 
to  preachers  who  wore  "biled"'  shirts  and  paper  collars. 

The  writer  remembers  old  Brother  Jackson,  who  used 
to  ''labor''  down  on  Soap  Creek.  "Brethren  and  sisturn," 
he  used  to  say,  "I  ain't  one  of  them  big  guns  wlio  ]»reaches  in 
the  great  cities  like  Centerville  and  ]Moravia  and  Albia  and 
Ottumwa  ah.  but  hit's  always  been  my  lot  to  i)reach  in  the 
dark  corners  of  the  earth-ah,  wliar  the  pt>l  biles  the  slowest 
luid  the  purse  is  the  lightest -ah!" 

Brother  Jackson's  dramatic  illustration  of  the  sinner's 
imminent  danger  of  hell-fire  was  clothed  in  all  the  fervent 
imagery  of  Dante's  "Inferno."  "And  now,  dyin'  sinner-ah. 
you  are  hangin'  by  a  cortl  to  a  liml)  that  bends  over  the  lake 


216  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

of  fire  and  brimestone-ah.  The  blue  blazes  of  etarnal  heil- 
fire  have  about  burned  the  limb  in  two.  It  bends,  it  crack- 
les as  its  wood  is  roasted,  and  your  body  settles  further 
down  into  the  lake!  Then  the  cord  takes  fire,  and  is  burnin' 
in  two-ah,  and  that  is  how  you  are  hangin'  to-night-ah.  Your 
thread  of  life  is  about  burned  in  two,  and  your  soul  is  settlin' 
down  in  the  lake  of  unquenchable  flre-ah." 

Jim  Pollard,  when  at  the  flood-tide  of  his  spiritual  zeal, 
was  a  power  in  the  land.  When  he  ascended  the  pulpit,  he 
invariably  removed  his  coat,  and  later  on,  as  he  warmed  up, 
threw  off  his  vest,  and  by  this  time  the  sermon  began  to  as- 
sume a  funnel-shaped  form.,  and  those  of  the  congregation 
nearest  the  pulpit  began  to  scamper  for  back  seats. 

One  Sunday  morning,  while  mowing  slough-grass  in  the 
Soap  Creek  bottom,  the  Lord  came  to  him  in  a  vision  and 
recommended  that  he  mend  his  ways.  He  (Jim)  said:  "As  I 
swung  the  scythe  to  and  fro,  the  stubbles  would  strike 
against  it,  and  the  scythe  would  say:  'Go  to  meetin',  Jim! 
go  to  meetin',  Jim !'  Then  when  I  would  whet  the  blade,  the 
scythe-stone  would  say,  as  it  struck  it  on  either  side:  'Go 
quick,  go  long!  go  quick,  go  long!'  " 

On  another  occasion  Brother  Pollard  called  at  the  home 
of  Dr.  Arnold  in  Urbana  Township,  while  the  family  were 
at  breakfast.  They  had  boiled  cabbage,  and  Jim  was  spe- 
cially fond  of  boiled  cabbage.  "Won't  you  sit  up  and  take 
breakfast  with  us?"  asked  Mrs.  Arnold.  "Ah,  no!"  was 
his  reply,  as  he  looked  wistfully  at  the  dish  of  cabbage;  "I 
am  too  full  of  the  love  of  God  to  hold  cabbage!"  He  had 
just  returned  from  a  revival. 

On  another  occasion  he  had  just  returned  from  a  preach 
ing  tour  in  Missouri,  and  had  received  a  call  to  preach  at  the 
school-house  at  Albany.  He  began  his  discourse  with  this 
exordium:  "Brethren  and  sisters,  Jonah  was  puked  out  of 
the  whale  to  go  and  preach  to  the  people  of  Ninevah,  and  I 
have  just  been  puked  out  of  Missouri  to  preach  to  you-uns!" 

Emhryo  Tillages. 

There  are  numerous  sites  of  former  villages  in  Monroe 
County,  which,  like  Goldsmith's  "Sweet  Auburn,"  have 
vanished,  save  now  and  then  a  garden  flower  to  mark  the  spot 
"where  once  the  garden  smiled."  In  the  spring  and  summer 
of  1856  immigration  was  at  its  flood-tide.  In  every  neighbor- 
hood a  village  was  laid  out,  the  interests  of  which  were 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA.  217 

boomed  bv  the  projector  of  the  town.  There  were  no  rail- 
roads in  the  county  at  that  time,  and  no  one  locality  had  any 
advantage  over  its  rival  in  the  matter  of  location.  In  time, 
however,  most  of  these  hamlets  died  down  from  the  effect 
of  the  natural  law  of  a  survival  of  the  fittest, 

Ln  the  summer  of  ISofl  the  village  of  Fairview,  or  Cuba, 
as  it  was  subsequently  named,  was  laid  out  in  Mantua  Town- 
ship, The  place  exists  to-day  only  in  name-,  and  is  a  few 
miles  east  of  the  town  of  Avery,  At  one  time  it  was  a 
promising  village,  but  the  C,  B.  &  Q.  Railroad  passed  north 
of  it.  and  the  town  of  Avery  killed  it, 

Eldorado,  in  Cedar  Township,  was  also  started  and 
looked  promising  on  paper.     It  boasted  of  two  houses. 

In  1858  a  Mr.  Evans  laid  out  the  town  of  Osprey,  and  it 
had  one  house  as  a  starter.     It  soon  died, 

Smithsfield  and  Hollidaysburg  were  also  candidates  for 
municipial  greatness,  but  soon  shared  a  like  fate, 

IMeasant  Corners,  in  Pleasant  Town.ship,  situated  about 
a  mile  north  of  the  present  village  of  Frederic,  was  once  a 
lively  village.  It  had  a  store,  blacksmith  shop,  and  a 
''Seceder"  church.  To-day  it  is  one  of  the  loveli»^st  spots  in 
the  county,  but  it  has  ceased  to  be  a  village. 

Urbana  City  was  started  about  the  same  time.  It  was 
once  a  flourishing  village,  and  was  the  seat  of  Soap  Creek 
civilization  and  commerce.  It  contained  a  flouring  mill, 
.school-house,  blacksmith  shop,  two  stores,  a  shingle-splitter, 
and  a  .saloon.     To-day  it  is  a  corn-field. 

Along  about  the  year  1890,  Frank  Fritchle  laid  out  the 
town  of  Minerstown,  a  half-mile  west  of  the  present  town  of 
Foster,  in  -Monroe  Township.  The  town  was  regularly  sur- 
veyed and  platted,  and  was  intended  as  a  rival  of  Foster, 
just  starting.  There  was  but  one  house  er(H?ted  in  the  town, 
but  the  streets  and  avenues  remain  on  paper,  and  are  well 
preserved. 

Selection  is  a  po.st-oflSce  five  miles  south  of  Albia  on  the 
Centerville,  Moravia  &  Albia  Railway.  Some  years  ago  it 
boasted  of  a  water-tank  and  general  store,  but  it  never  grew, 
and  while  there  is  slill  a  store  at  the  i>la('e,  the  tank  has  been 
removed,  and  the  railway  station  building  has  been  locked  up 
for  years,  there  being  no  agent  at  the  place. 

The ''Water-Witchr 
Necessity  is  said  to  be  the  mother  of  invention,  and  as 
water  is  one  of  the  necessities  of  life,  it  inav  also  be  stated 


218  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

that  it  is  the  maternal  relative  to  the  "water-witch."  If  this 
mystical  personage  may  also  be  permitted  to  claim  a  paternal 
progenitor,  we  will  say  that  Ignorance  is  the  father  of  the 
"water-witch."  When  the  country  was  new,  water,  as  we 
have  already  stated,  was  often  scarce,  or  difficult  to  locate 
in  veins  in  the  earth.  Then,  like  a  Moses  smiting  the  rock 
with  his  rod,  the  "water-witch"'  arose  with  his  "divining- 
rod,"  to  tell  people  where  to  dig.  Professors  of  this  occult 
science  usually  selected  some  fruit-bearing  twig — a  forked 
switch,  each  prong  a  foot  or  more  in  length.  He  grasped 
each  prong  in  the  hand  and  walked  around  with  the  switch 
pointing  in  front.  In  passing  immediately  over  a  spring  in 
the  earth  the  stick  would  point  downward,  according  to  pop- 
ular belief.  The  switch,  in  the  hands  of  a  right  good  "witch," 
would  be  so  persistent  in  its  efforts  to  point  downward  that 
it  is  claimed  that  in  grasping  it  tightly  the  "witch'^s"  grip 
would  sometimes  rub  off  the  bark  from  the  twig,  or  even 
break  it.  A  good  "witch"  could  always  tell  how  far  down 
the  water  might  be  found.  The  "divining-rod"  was  a  little 
capricious  in  its  action.  It  would  not  point  down  if  actually 
held  over  a  pond  of  water,  or  water  in  plain  view.  It  was  a 
way  it  had  of  doing,  and  the  witch  did  not  make  any  efforts 
to  explain  the  seeming  contradictory  phenomenon, 

Schools  and  School-Teachers. 

The  fountain-head  from  which  may  indirectly  be  traced 
all  that  is  worthy  of  historic  record  is  the  little  school-house. 
From  its  lowly  and  sequestered  location  hovers  the  star  of 
civilization  and  enlightenment,  which,  like  the  star  over  the 
manger  at  Bethlehem,  illuminates  the  world  with  a  prophetic 
light  no  less  hopeful  or  propitious. 

Popular  education  is  the  keystone  supporting  the  tri- 
umphal arch  of  human  greatness.  It  is  neither  the  college, 
seminary,  nor  university  which  is  lifting  enlightenment 
and  happiness  to  the  skies.  It  is  the  little  white  school-house 
throughout  the  land  poised  upon  a  thousand  hills. 

The  first  school-house  erected  in  the  county  was  built 
in  Pleasant  Township  in  1844.  It  was  known  as  the  Pleasant 
School,  and  later,  the  surrounding  township  was  named 
Pleasant  Township  in  honor  of  the  little  school-house.  It 
stood  on  the  Gray  farm,  and  Lorania  Adams,  of  Blakesburg, 
was  the  first  teacher.  Dudley  C.  Barber  was  the  next  teacher, 
and  taught  the  winter  term  of  1844. 


HISTORY  OP  MONROE  COUNTY.  IOWA. 


219 


In  tlie  early  '50s  Hon.  T.  B.  Perry,  our  present  State 
senator,  taught  a  school  in  the  village  of  Albia.  At  that 
time  there  was  no  school-building  and  the  school  was  con- 
ducted in  the  little  frame  M.  E.  ('hurch  building.  Some  years 
later.  Mrs.  M.  A.  R.  Cousins  taught  a  select  school  in  Albia, 
Mr.  Marck  was  also  a  successful  teacher  in  the  early  days  of 
Albia,  but  these  private  schools  of  courseafforded  but  meager 
facilities  for  educating  the  children,  and  Professor  George 
instituted  the  Albia  High  School,  which  he  conducted  for  a 
long  time. 


-Mrs.  ANGIK  kF.ll  /I.I 


NKlil.    LOl'NTY. 


In  1863  the  population  of  the  Albia  school  district  be- 
came so  large  that  the  Christian  and  Baptist  church  was 
rented  for  scliool  purposes.  The  next  year  the  School  Board 
levied  a  5-mill  tax  and  bought  the  dwelling-house  of  W.  C. 
Hatton,  which  faces  the  Commercial  Hotel  on  the  west,  and 
which  is  now  occupied  by  Mr.  Wm.  Peppers. 


220 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY.  IOWA. 


ALBIA  HIGH  SCHOOL  BUILDING. 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  CODNTY,  IOWA. 


221 


In  1808  the  independent  district  of  Albia  erected  a  threo- 
story  brick  biiildin<i:  on  the  site  where  the  magnificent  Higli 
School  biiildiuo-  of  to-day  stands.  It  cost  $28,000,  but  in 
1878  it  was  destroyed  by  fire.  The  present  structure  was 
bnilt  in  1S79  at  a  cost  of  about  1^^.0,000,  which  price  is  remark 
ably  low  for  the  dimensions  and  character  of  the  edifice.  It 
is  one  of  the  best  school  edifices  in  southern  Iowa,  and  the 
Albia  High  School  ranks  among  the  first  of  any  in  the  State 
for  educational  success.  Its  graduates  are  eligible  to  en- 
trance into  the  State  I^niversitv. 


SOMK  SWKKT  C.IRI,  C.kAUrATKS.  CLASS  <)1-     M,,  AI.HIA    H1C.H   SCHOOI, 


In  1S!)4  the  (Irant  School  building  was  erected  in  llic 
Si>uth  Tai-k  addition  to  Albia.  It  is  a  liandsome  three-story 
brick,  <lesigned  to  accommodate  the  lower  grades  of  the  High 
Scliool.     It  cust  .«:10.000. 

The  ])rin('ipal  of  the  High  Scliool  hobls  his  term  of  office 
for  three  years.  Professor  HoUingsworlh  is  the  present  in- 
cumbent. His  staff  of  assistants  for  the  school-term  just 
closed  consists  of  Miss  Martha  McQuade,  1st  assistant; 
Mrs.  L.  B.  Carlisle,  2d  assistant;  Mrs.  H.  O.  Hickenlooper, 


222 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 


8th  grade;  Mr.  i^lbert  Ewers.,  7th  grade;  Miss  Alice  White, 
6th  grade,  Miss  Myrtle  Harlow,  5th  grade,  consolidated; 
Miss  Maggie  Harlow,  4th  grade;  Miss  Orphia  Rigdon,  3d 
grade;  Mrs.  O'Bryan,  2d  grade  and  primary  grade.  Miss 
Myrtle  Harlow's  department  was  transferred  to  the  Grant 
School. 


GRANT  SCHOOL  BUILDING,  ALBIA,  IOWA. 

The  teachers  of  the  Grant  School  were :  Mr.  L.  Bay,  7th 
and  Sth  grades;  Miss  Mja'tle  Harlow,  5th  and  6th  grades; 
Miss  Laura  Dashiell,  4th  and  5th  grades;  Miss  Daisy  Sales, 
primary  grade. 

The  old-time  pedagogue  is  a  creature  of  the  past.  He  is 
a  genus  now  well-nigh  extinct,  and  the  very  agent  which  it 
was  his  mission  to  promote  has  tended  to  his  own  extinction. 
He  was  a  creature  of  meager  education  and  not  unfrequently 
of  a  low  order  of  intellect.     In  some  cases,  however,  the  old- 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA.  223 

fashianed  sohool-iuaster  was  fairly  educatod  for  tho  times, 
and  lie  was  usually  the  best  informed  man  in  the  neighbor- 
hood. He  could  read,  write,  and  "cipher,"  and  that  was 
about  the  whole  range  of  learning  in  tliose  days.  If  the  pupil 
])assed  beyond  these,  he  was  looked  upon  with  suspicion. 
He  was  acquiring  too  much  "book-laruin,"  which,  in  the  esti- 
mation of  the  pioneer  "fog}',"  was  a  certain  precursor  of 
moral  ruin.  The  schoolmaster's  local  reputation  of  being  a 
fiavant  rested  on  his  i)rofound  knowledge  of  mathematics, 
jind  whenever  two  farmers  got  into  a  dispute  as  to  whether 
a  hilly  row  of  corn  contained  more  corn-hills  than  a  level  one, 
reasoning  from  the  analogous  assumption  that  a  serpentine 
line,  if  drawn  taut,  would  thereby  be  increased  in  length, 
the}'  referred  the  i)roblem  to  the  school-master,  from  whose 
unbiased  and  dispassionate  decision  there  was  no  appeal. 

Algebra  was  not  taught  in  the  common  branches  at  that 
day,  but  there  was  a  rule  in  arithmetic,  known  as  "Position," 
which  in  some  measure  supplied  the  place  of  an  algebraic 
equation,  in  certain  problems.  The  rule  consisted  in  assum- 
ing any  number  as  a  basis  of  ciilculation,  and  then,  as  one 
would  be  found  to  exceed  the  number  to  be  ascertained,  and 
the  other  less  than  that  number,  their  relative  relation  to  the 
given  number  would  be  noted  and  the  required  number 
found.  The  rule  was,  as  the  total  of  the  errors  are  to  the 
given  sum,  so  is  the  supposed  number  to  the  true  one  re- 
quired. There  was  "Single  Position"  and  "Double  Posi- 
tion." The  rule  for  "Double  Position"  was  to  place  each  er- 
ror against  its  respective  position,  multiply  them  cross-wise, 
and  if  the  errors  were  alike — that  is,  both  greater  or  less  than 
the  given  number — divide  the  difference  of  the  products  by 
the  difference  of  the  errors,  and  the  quotient  was  the  answer ; 
but  if  the  errors  were  unlike,  the  sum  of  the  products  should 
be  divided  by  the  sum  of  the  errors. 

Put  the  "Pule  of  Three"  was  tlie  repository  of  the  school- 
master's mathematical  genius.  There  was  the  "Kule  of 
Three  Direct"  and  the  "Rule  of  Three  Inverse,"  the  "Single 
Rule  of  Three"  and  the  "Double  Rule  of  Three."  This  rule 
and  that  of  "Position"  were  obsolete,  however,  within  the 
history  of  Monroe  County. 

Then  came  "Vulgar  Fractions,"  and  then  "Exchange," 
which  latter  was  very  voluminous. 

In  later  years,  when  Joseph  Ray  introduced  his  mathe- 
matics in  text  form,  his  "Third  Part"  was  the  arithmetic  in 


224  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

which  the  student  found  himself  hopelessly  engulfed  in  the 
intricacies  of  mathematics.  The  first  snag  he  ran  up  against 
was  a  "sum"  called  "John  Jones'  Estate."  Here  he  usually 
turned  back  to  "review";  but  if  he  succeeded  in  crossing 
this  mathematical  Rubicon,  he  forged  on  until  he  ran  head- 
long into  the  "dirty  page."  The  "dirty  page"  contained  some 
miscellaneous  problems  which  were  intended  to  be  solved  by 
analysis.  This  page  wore  out  long  before  the  other  pages, 
notwithstanding  the  constant  use  of  the  "thumb-paper."  It 
was  called  the  "dirty  page"  because  it  was  soiled  by  long 
occupancy  by  the  pupil. 

The  student,  when  he  reached  about  his  nineteenth 
year,  quit  school;  but  he  usually  discontinued  school  in 
summer  several  years  earlier. 

In  the  primitive  school-houses  the  writing-desk  was  the 
most  conspicuous  fixture  next  to  the  "master"  himself.  This 
desk  was  arranged  all  around  one  side  of  the  room,  and  was 
constructed  of  planks  about  a  foot  in  width.  This  desk  the 
boys  industriously  carved  with  their  jack-knives  until  every 
inch  of  the  surface  bore  the  handiwork  of  some  youngster 
who  afterwards  carved  his  name  in  the  roster  of  citizenship, 
if  not  in  the  niche  of  fame. 

The  "master"  set  the  copies  for  the  pupils,  writing  with 
a  pen  made  from  a  goose-quill.  There  was  no  system  of  pen- 
manship then  in  vogue,  and  the  pupil  merely  imitated  the 
handwriting  of  the  "master,"  whether  it  was  good  or  bad. 
If  it  was  not  quite  "Spencerian"  in  elegance  or  legibility, 
it  usually  inculcated  a  moral  precept,  such  as  "A  studious 
boy  will  learn  his  lessons  well,"  or  "Moments  of  time  are  like 
grains  of  gold,"  etc.  The  boy  squared  his  elbows,  grasped  his 
pen  with  the  firm  grasp  of  a  mariner  upon  his  oar  when  pull- 
ing his  surf-boat  through  a  heavy  sea,  then  he  lowered  his 
head  until  his  eye  was  on  a  level  with  his  desk,  and,  glancing 
alternately  at  the  copy  and  the  point  of  his  pen,  proceeded 
to  imitate  the  handwriting,  using  his  tongue  as  a  sort  of 
lever  to  regulate  the  strokes  of  the  pen.  After  constructing 
a  few  words  of  the  copy,  he  would  prod  his  neighbor  with  the 
point  of  his  pen,  or  carve  a  few  cuneiform  characters  on  the 
desk  with  his  knife,  as  an  abstraction  from  the  strain  on  his 
mental  powers.  '  . 

Grammar  was  also  taught,  but  with  indifferent  success. 

Spelling  was  the  chief  occupation  of  the  school-room, 
and  the  pupil  learned  to  spell  by  conning  over  long  columns 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA.  225 

of  words  in  Wobstor's  blno-backod  spcllci-.  This  speller  con- 
tained two  illustrated  narratives,  wlii(;li  were  intended  to 
convey  to  the  3'onthfut  mind  an  indelible  example  of  hon- 
esty. The  tragic  fate  of  old  dog  Tray  was  set  forlh  as  a  warn- 
ing to  those  who  go  in  ba<l  company.  There  was  also  a  pict- 
nre  of  (he  bad  bay  up  tlu^  farmer's  apple-tree.  The  farmer 
tirst  asked  him  in  a  gentlemanly  way  to  come  down;  he  de- 
clined, and  then  the  farmer  began  to  pelt  him  with  turf;  still 
he  staid  up  the  tree;  then  the  farmer,  sinking  that  kind  words 
and  turf  were  useless  arguments,  concluded  to  see  what 
virtue  there  was  in  stones.  Another  episode,  involving  the 
principle  of  equity,  was  that  of  the  farmer's  bull  that  gored 
his  neighbor's  ox. 

After  Webster's  speller  came  McGuffey's  spelling-book. 
It  contained  a  more  thorough  treatise  on  the  science  of 
orthography,  and  had  ^'dictation  exercises,"  showing  the  ap- 
plication of  synonyms  of  the  English  language.  Its  main 
feature,  however,  was  its  long  columns  of  words. 

The  writer  at  one  time  enjoyed  the  distinction  of  being 
one  of  the  "crack"  spellers  of  the  district.  At  this  time  the 
spelling-school  was  at  the  zenith  of  its  popularity.  The  spell- 
ing-school would  be  announced  about  a  week  before  the  night 
set.  Then  a  challenge  would  be  sent  to  a  neighboring  dis- 
trict. The  recipient  of  the  challenge  would  marshal  the  best 
spellers  of  the  school,  and  all  would  be  on  hand  at  the  ap- 
pointed place.  Two  persons — usually  a  young  man  and  his 
best  girl — would  "choose  up."  Then,  afler  the  seats  had  all 
been  arranged  around  the  walls,  the  teacher  or  i)ei'son  whose 
duty  it  Avas  to  "give  out"  would  have  the  two  olioosing  parties 
"guess  the  page,"  and  that  one  making  the  closest  guess 
would  have  the  first  choice  of  spellers  in  the  crowd;  the  other 
jtarty  then  made  the  s(^cond  choice,  and  the  "choosing"  wenl 
on  alternately  nnlil  all  were  selected  on  (he  (wo  sides.  The 
next  thing  to  decide  was  whether  tc)  "s(and  np  and  spell 
down"  or  (o  "send  iniinei's."  One  i)lan  was  usuallv  adop(ed 
Ix'fore  recess  and  the  odier  af(er.  Tnvariablv  (lie  formei- 
plan  was  adoT)(ed  after  recess,  and  then  came  the  tug  of  wai'. 
when  all  had  "missed"  woi-ds  and  taken  their  seats  except 
the  champion  spellers.  They  held  their  <rronnd  for  a  long 
time,  but  one  by  one  would  go  d(n\  ii,  nsnally  on  some  triflinir 
word  "missed"  by  mei-e  inattention  on  (he  i»iir(  of  (he  pupil 
"missing"  it.  Then  the  teacher  wouM  (urn  back  to  "cham- 
ois"; "chamois"  was  at  the  head  of  a  long  column  of  woi-ds  of 


226  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

mixed  phonetic  character,  and  the  whole  page  was  considered 
the  hardest  of  any  to  spell  in  the  book.  When  "chamois" 
would  be  "given  out,"  the  partisans  of  the  respective  sides 
would  cheer,  and  listen  with  bated  breath  when  the  teacher 
got  down  to  "daguerreotype,"  because  this  word  was  one  of 
the  hardest  to  spell  of  all.  Finally  all  would  go  down  except 
two,  representing  the  rival  schools.  They  would  hold  the 
floor  sometimes  for  an  hour,  and  sometimes  it  would  result 
in  a  drawn  battle,  neither  party  missing  a  word. 

Of  late  years  a  radical  change  in  the  method  of  teaching 
orthograpln'^  has  been  adopted,  and  the  dear  old  spelling- 
school  of  hallowed  school-days  memory  has  become  an  insti- 
tution of  the  past.  Even  to  this  day,  the  recollection  of  the 
spelling-school  somewhat  softens  the  harsh  outlines  of  our 
otherwise  austere  dis])Osition,  as  the  vision  arises  of  the 
freckle-nosed  school-girl  with  whom  we  used  to  "choose  up." 
Her  flaxen  hair  was  split  at  the  ends,  and  stood  out  behind 
her  ears  like  a  ram's  horns,  and  yet  we  felt,  when  sitting  by 
her  side,  a  good  deal  like  one  is  supposed  to  feel  when  sitting 
beside  the  throne  of  grace.  She  could  not  spell  "putty," 
yet  we  always  chose  her  first,  so  we  could  sit  next  to  her 
and  whisper  to  her  how  to  spell  her  words.  The  spelling- 
school  was  one  of  the  redeeming  features  of  an  otherwise  im- 
perfect system  of  instruction,  and  since  it  has  grown  obso- 
lete, the  general  knowledge  of  correct  spelling  has  suffered 
materially. 

The  popular  school-games  were  "black-man"  and  "town- 
ball."  "Black-man"  was  played  by  both  girls  and  boys. 
Some  one  would  be  "black-man,"  bases  would  be  planted  a 
few  rods  apart,  and  the  "black-man"  would  charge  down  on 
the  school,  who  would  make  a  run  for  the  opposite  base.  If 
the  "black-man"  succeeded  in  catching  anyone,  the  latter 
would  become  one  of  the  "black-man's"  imps,  and  would 
help  catch  the  others,  until  all  were  caught  but  the  big, 
rough,  oA'orgrown  school-boy;  to  take  him  was  a  difficult 
task,  as  not  more  than  one  could  succeed  in  getting  hold  of 
him  at  one  time.  It  was  a  delicious  (experience  to  have  one's 
school-mate  sweetheart  catch  him;  then  the  youth  would 
struggle,  seeuiiugly  to  free  himself,  but  really  to  necessitate 
the  girl  putting  her  ai'ms  around  liim  to  hold  him,  an  ex- 
pedient which  she  iuvai-iably  found  highly  necessary.  She, 
in  turn,  would  seldom  make  much  effort  to  escape  her  "black- 
man"   beau.     It  was  a   great    game   for  the   promotion  of 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA.  227 

school-day  coiii'tship,  or  "puppy-love" — a  malady  with  which 
we  have  all  been  alllicted  at  some  time  or  other. 

"Towu-ball"  was  the  antecedent  of  the  modern  popular 
play  of  "base-ball."  "Two-cornered  cat"  was  another  game 
of  ball,  in  which  but  four  boys  participated  in  a  game. 

The  teacher  in  those  days  usually  "boarded  round,"  and 
il  was  the  custom  on  the  arrival  of  Christmas  to  l)ar  out  the 
teacher.  On  the  day  before  Christmas  the  teacher  would 
arrive  at  the  school-hause  in  the  morning  to  tind  the  door  and 
windows  barricaded.  The  big  boys  would  be  inside,  and 
"terms  of  surrender"  would  be  written  on  a  piece  of  paper 
and  slipped  out  to  the  te.acher.  This  document  usually  speci- 
tied  a  treat  of  a  bushel  of  apples,  candj',  or,  in  the  ruder  set- 
tlements, whisky.  The  teacher  invariably  demurred,  and 
stormed  and  railed  in  sometimes  real  and  sometimes  affected 
rage,  and  if  he  did  not  supply  the  treat,  or  make  a  promise  to 
do  so,  he  was  often  seized  by  the  crowd  and  carried  bodily  to 
some  neighboring  creek  and  threatened  with  a  "ducking" 
through  a  hole  cut  in  the  ice.  Sometimes  the  teacher  climbed 
to  the  roof  and  placed  a  board  over  the  chimney,  forcing  the 
smoke  into  the  room  filled  with  pupils.  Then  the  boys  would 
have  to  drown  out  the  fire  if  they  had  water,  and  if  not.  their 
victory  was  lost. 

In  the  year  1847  or  1848  a  tall,  lank  Yankee  came  into  a 
district  in  Urbana  Township.  He  was  from  away  down  east, 
and  was  well  dressed  and  "put  on  airs."  His  style  of  dress 
so  astonished  the  peaceable  denizens  of  Soap  Creek  that  the 
new-camer  not  only  became  an  object  of  curiosity,  but  of  un- 
enviable criticism  as  well.  One  day  he  went  to  the  local 
"swimmin'-hole"  on  Soap  Creek  t(»  wash.  Some  mischievous 
l)oys  stole  his  clothes  and  the  young  man  was  in  a  desperate 
strait.  He  crept  through  the  forest,  until  he  arrived  near  a 
dwelling,  when  he  called  for  the  men  folks  to  bring  him 
some  clothing.  The  men  were  not  at  home,  but  four  big 
hounds  responded,  and,  seeing  the  fugitive  naked,  mistook 
him  for  some  big  game,  and  gave  chase.  The  young  man 
climbed  a  tree,  and  as  the  hounds  bayed  "treed,"  two  young 
ladies  heard  the  well-known  notes  of  the  hounds  and 
hastened  to  ascertain  what  they  had  "treed."  After  discov- 
(•ring  the  game,  they  beat  a  hasty  retreat  and  apprised  the 
men  folks  of  the  situation,  when  the  latter  brought  some 
clothing  and  released  the  young  man,  who  soon  left  the 
countrv,  overcome  with  mortification. 


228  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

Soap  Greek  Jurisprudence. 

The  region  drained  by  the  classical  Soap  Creek  was  al- 
ways a  fruitful  locality  for  the  lawyer.  These  barristers  of 
bygone  days  were  not  as  profound  in  legal  lore  as  some  of  the 
expounders  of  Blackstone  of  to-day,  but  they  were  usually 
equal  to  any  occasion  on  which  their  talent  and  oratory 
might  be  called  into  requisition. 

Every  time  the  stream  itself  would  overflow  its  banks, 
a  half-dozen  law-suits  would  be  among  the  evil  results  of  the 
flood.  One  settler's  fence-rails  would  be  swept  away  and  be 
lodged  on  the  land  of  his  neighbor  farther  down  the  stream. 
The  latter  would  seize  them  and  claim  them  as  his  own.  If 
the  dispute  could  not  be  settled  by  the  amicable  arbitrament 
of  a  big  fight,  a  law-suit  was  the  inevitable  result.  Innu- 
merable important  rulings  have  been  made  from  time  to  time 
by  *'liis  Honor,"  the  justice  of  the  peace,  involving  the  rights 
of  property,  and  the  views  taken  by  the  various  justices  in 
summing  up  the  evidence  in  the  matter  concerning  the  own- 
ership of  the  rails  have  been  rather  kaleidoscopic. 

Our  old  friend,  Samuel  Gr.  Finney,  who  resides  near 
Blakesburg  for  some  years  past,  has  usually  been  retained  in 
cases  of  a  civil  nature;  and  K.  B.  Arnold  is  usually  on  one 
side  or  the  other,  also. 

If  it  is  a  criminal  case.  Bill  Kinser  is  much  sought  for 
by  the  defense,  and  usually  brings  his  client  out  unscathed. 
His  manner  before  the  magistrate  or  jury  is  vehement,  and 
if  his  case  is  a  hopeless  one  in  which  ordinary  construction  of 
the  law  would  be  unavailing,  he  usually  succeeds  in  impress- 
ing the  court  by  means  of  a  superabundance  of  stupendous 
oratory.  He  would  not  hesitate  to  engage  in  a  legal  duel 
with  the  Chief  Justice  of  the  United  States  on  a  disputed 
legal  point,  and  if  before  a  court  of  his  own  vicinity,  would 
carry  oif  the  prize. 

Bill  Knapp  and  Levi  Wood  are  another  strong  brace  of 
local  attorneys.  Knapp's  legal  success  is  somewhat  ham- 
pered by  conscientious  scruples,  as  he  is  of  a  religious  turn, 
and  preaches  occasionally^  Wood's  efforts  in  the  legal  pro- 
fession are  unfettered  by  influences  of  a  similar  nature,  and 
his  opportunities  have  full  swing. 

Adam  Hopkins  settled  on  Soap  Creek  in  about  the  year 
1845.  He  could  read  and  write,  and  served  as  justice  of  the 
peace  for  a  number  of  years.  His  son  Perry  was  usually 
elected  constable.     Uncle  Adam  knew  very  little  about  the 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA.  229 

law,  but  he  had  one  special  merit:  he  carried  out  the  in- 
terpretation of  it  to  the  letter.  In  one  of  his  law-books — a 
sort  of  "Justice's  Guide"^ — was  a  blank  form  for  rendering 
judgments,  and,  as  an  example,  the  costs  were  inserted  in 
the  proper  space  as  $:^.50.  So  whenever  it  became  his  duty 
to  issue  judgment,  he  always  made  the  costs  $3.50,  as  if  this 
amount  were  a  fixed  sum  prescribed  by  law,  like  a  marriage 
license  fee  or  a  poll-tax.  This  was,  of  course,  divided  be- 
tween himself  and  son  I'erry.  When  witnesses  demanded 
their  fees.  Hopkins  informed  them  that  |3.50  was  the  maxi- 
mum limit  of  costs  allowed  by  law,  and  that  if  they  expected 
fees,  they  would  have  to  look  to  the  party  who  had  them 
subpoenaed. 

Hopkins  always  fined  a  man  for  fighting,  but  occasion- 
all}'  indulged  in  the  same  diversion  himself.  He  and  Eleven 
Dean  got  into  a  tight,  and  Dean  was  getting  the  better  of 
him,  when  Hopkins'  son  Perry,  by  virtue  of  his  official  capac- 
ity as  constable,  rushed  in  and  struck  Dean  a  blow  over  the 
head  with  a  billet  of  wood,  at  the  same  time  exclaiming  in  a 
loud  and  official  tone  of  voice:  "I  command  the  peace  in  the 
name  of  the  State  of  Iowa,"  Hopkins  regained  his  feet,  and, 
seizing  a  club,  dared  Dean  or  any  of  his  friends  to  ''come  on." 
Dr.  Udell  sewed  up  the  opened  scalps,  and  peace  once  more 
brooded  over  the  temple  of  Justice. 

In  1850,  during  the  horse-thief  period.  Squire  Harris 
was  justice  of  the  peace.  One  day  a  stranger  rode  up  and 
swore  out  a  warrant  for  a  man  who,  he  alleged,  had  stolen  a 
horse.  While  Harris  was  issuing  the  warrant,  another 
stranger  rode  up  to  the  cabin  and  arrested  the  first  man.  The 
latlei-  was  riding  a  stolen  horse,  and  was  attempting  to  work 
a  "blind,"  to  shield  himself. 

Some  Pioneer  Episodes. 

In  early  times,  the  forests,  as  we  have  stated  already, 
swai-med  with  wild  bees,  and  whenever  the  hunter  found  a 
"bee-tree,"  he  carved  his  initials  on  the  tree,  which  evidence 
of  ownerslii])  was  nniv<'rsally  recognized  and  respected. 

Old  Ben  Aslibury.  who  ran  a  blacksmith  shop  in  Urbana 
Township,  accused  Newt  Vancleve  of  cutting  a  marked 
bee-tree,  and,  as  it  was  looked  upon  as  a  most  heinous  of- 
fense. Newt  very  naturally  resented  the  charge.  Bad  blood 
sprang  up  between  the  two,  and  as  old  Ben  had  the  reputa- 
tion of  being  a  "good  man."  and  as  young  Vancleve  had  his 


230  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

honor  to  vindicate,  it  was  looked  upon  as  an  inevitable  re- 
sult that  the  two  would  be  bound  to  meet,  and  that  when 
this  inevitable  result  occurred,  it  would  be  as  the  meeting  of 
two  fierce  tides — Greek  would  meet  Greek,  when  the  con- 
flict came.  One  day  Vancleve  was  passing  the  blacksmith 
shop.  Old  Ren  came  to  the  door,  evidently  spoiling  for  a 
fight.  He  accosted  Newt  with  mock  suavity.  With  an 
affected  softness  of  manner,  indicated  by  a  courtly  bow  and 
swing  of  the  hand,  he  addressed  him :  ''How  do  you  do,  New- 
ton, and  how  are  you  prospering  in  this  beautiful  land  of  milk 
and  Jioney?"  The  allusion  to  honey  seemed  to  have  a  sting  in 
it,  and  Newt  told  him  it  was  none  of  his  "d — d  business." 
Then  they  went  at  it.  Newt,  like  young  David  of  old,  car- 
ried a  stone,  and  with  it  struck  the  Goliath-like  Ben  on  the 
head,  knocking  him  senseless.  He  thought  he  had  killed 
him.  He  raised  his  head  and  wet  his  face  with  water  from 
the  slack-tub,  and  then,  procuring  some  help,  carried  his 
victim  into  the  house,  where  he  attended  him  with  the  utmost 
care  until  he  revived.  When  Ben  returned  to  consciousness 
and  found  the  3'^oung  man  attending  him,  it  challenged  his 
admiration  and  gratitude,  and  ever  after  they  were  warm 
friends. 

Ashbury  is  said  to  have  been  a  man  of  many  good  traits 
and  good  intelligence,  but  he  had  a  violent  temper  and  loved 
to  fight.  On  another  occasion  he  and  a  man  named  Meeks 
struck  up  a  fight  in  Blakesburg  over  politics.  Meeks  was  a 
Southern  sympathizer,  or,  at  least,  a  Buchanan  Democrat. 
Ashbury  was  an  abolitionist,  and  struck  Meeks  with  a  hand- 
saw, and  came  near  cutting  his  throat.  He  then  got  Meeks 
down  and  pulled  his  hair. 

On  still  another  occasion  some  wild  boys,  in  passing  his 
house,  aimoyed  him  by  calling  out:  ''Hello,  old  Bogus!  come 
out  here!"  (Bogus  was  a  name  the  boys  gave  him.)  Some 
days  later,  on  meeting  the  boys,  old  Ben  reproved  a  young- 
Grimes  for  his  conduct.  Grimes  denied  having  been  one  of 
the  disturbing  party,  and  Ben  struck  him  with  a  carpenter's 
square,  which  came  near  killing  him.  Ashbury  was  arrested 
and  taken  before  Squire  Hiram  Hough.  Hough  had  just 
been  elected  justice,  and  was  not  familiar  with  the  wording 
of  an  action  for  assault  and  battery;  so,  after  making  sev- 
eral efforts,  he  gave  up  the  attempt  with  the  excuse  that  he 
wished  to  go  to  mill.  The  case  was  then  taken  before  Squire 
Thomas  Hickenlooper.     The  aborted  information  drawn  by 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA.  231 

Hough  showed  that  the  defendant  had  been  brought  before 
him  on  a  charge  of  *'psalt  and  battery."  It  was  a  great  day 
in  Squire  IIickenk>oper's  court.  The  whoh^  country  gath- 
ered in,  and  took  both  dinner  and  supper  with  the  unfortu- 
nate justice  and  family,  whose  pantry  stores  wcn'e  deidcted 
thereby.  The  juiy  retired  to  the  corn-crib  to  weigh  the  evi- 
dence and  bring  in  a  verdict,  and  I  lie  crow*!  wnited  in  the 
yard.  Old  Hen  had  a  lU'cnliar  habit  of  thinking  out  loud, 
and  while  moving  about  in  the  throng,  oblivious  to  all,  li«* 
solil(Kiuized  on  the  shortcomings  of  some  of  the  witnesses 
who  had  testified  against  him,  to  the  great  amusement  of  the 
listening  cr(>wd.  "There's  old  'J>atterhead';  he  always  was 
a  liar,  and  they  say  that  back  where  he  came  from  nobody 
believed  him  on  oath.     And  the  T — s  ain't  much  better;  old 

'( 'rane-neck'  says  that  she  can  recollect  when used  to  go 

without  soles  to  his  shoes,  back  in  Indiana,  and  his  own 
mother  says  that  he  used  to  be  accused  of  stealin'  sheep." 

Old  Ren  is  still  alive,  and  is  01  years  of  age.  He  lives 
at  Tingley,  Iowa,  but  is  nearing  his  end  rapidly. 

Pioneer  Fof/[/isni. 

While  the  world  is  full  of  superstition,  even  at  the  pres- 
ent day,  much  of  the  old-time  rot  and  rubbish  growing  out  of 
an  intermingling  of  ignorance  and  superstition  has  been 
swept  away  by  the  advance  of  education  and  a  higher  phine 
of  intelligence.  While  suijerstition  itself  may  not  find  as 
ready  lodgement  in  the  mind  at  the  present  day,  there  are 
yet  thousands  who  do  not  or  cannot  eradicate  their  vagar- 
isms  and  absurd  fancies  by  philosophical  incjuiry  or  rational 
analysis. 

Many  farmers,  even  at  the  jiresent  day,  will  not  i»lant 
potatoes  oi-  garden  truck  excejit  during  certain  phases  of 
the  moon. 

If  he  administers  veterinary  tre.atment  to  his  pigs,  calves, 
or  other  live  stock,  it  must  be  when  the  ''sign  is  right,"  or  the 
animals  will  sui'ely  die.  The  ''sign'"  which  he  consults  is 
nothing  more  or  less  than  the  signs  of  the  zodiac  For  in- 
stance, if  the  sign  is  in  the  heart,  the  |>ig  will  surely  die;  at 
this  fatal  perictd  the  earth  is  passing  through  the  constella- 
tion Leo.  When  the  sign  is  in  the  neck,  it  is  not  quite  so  bad; 
this  is  when  the  earth  is  in  the  constellation  Taurus.  When 
Ihe  sign  is  in  the  feet,  it  is  still  better,  since  the  sign  is  '*go 
ing  down,"  and  the  inthunmation  can  with  greater  facility 
take  its  depart uie  at  the  ends  of  the  toes. 


232  BISTORT  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

Another  popular  fallacy  was  that  if  a  board  were  placed 
on  the  grass  at  a  certain  period  of  the  moon's  age,  the  grass 
would  grow  underneath  it;  but  if  placed  there  at  another 
phase  of  the  moon,  the  grass  would  not  grow. 

The  housewife,  when  she  saw  a  spider  descending  its 
web  from  the  ceiling,  knew  that  she  would  receive  a  visitor 
that  day. 

The  young  man  or  young  lady  who  had  warts  rubbed 
them  with  an  onion  and  then  buried  it  beneath  the  window, 
and  the  warts  were  supposed  to  disappear. 

The  quack  doctor  and  many  of  the  old  women  of  pioneer 
days  incorporated  these  pernicious  fancies  in  their  medical 
practice.  The  midwife  invariably  recommended  a  rabbit- 
skin  as  a  soothing  application  for  the  "weed."  "Sheep-nan- 
nie  tea"  was  good  for  measles. 

A  friend  of  the  writer,  residing  in  Blakesburg,  and  who 
is  himself  a  physician,  relates  an  episode  and  vouches  for  its 
truthfulness.  Dr.  Prather  was  a  quack  doctor  and  a  "Hard- 
shell" Baptist  preacher  combined;  he  assisted  people  in 
coming  into  the  world,  and  also  prepared  them  for  their 
advent  into  the  next.  Brother  Prather  was  called  to  the 
bedside  of  a  Mrs.  Jones,  who  was  suffering  intense  pain ;  and. 
after  making  a  thorough  examination  of  the  patient,  he  an- 
nounced: "Yes,  I  see  what  the  trouble  is;  I  have  been  trou- 
bled in  the  same  way  myself,"  One  of  the  old  women  pres- 
ent, who  knew  more  about  the  patient's  condition  than  the 
doctor  did,  disputed  with  him,  explaining  that  it  was  impos- 
sible for  a  peirson  of  his  sex  to  be  similai'ly  afflicted.  The 
doctor  and  the  women  finally  agreed  in  a  diagnosis  of  the 
case,  and  the  physician  stated  that  he  must  have  the  skin  of  a 
black  cat  to  lay  upon  the  patient's  stomach,  "It  must  be  a 
very  black  one,  and  better  send  the  boys  out  to  hunt  one 
while  we  pray,"  A  crowd  joined  in  the  chase,  and  several 
black  cats  were  brought  in,  including  one  polecat.  The  poor 
woman  died  during  the  night.  Brother  Prather  said  that  if 
he  had  arrived  a  little  sooner,  he  could  have  saved  her;  but 
when  he  preached  her  funeral  sermon,  he  stated  that  "her 
time  had  come — the  Lord  had  seen  fit  to  take  her  to  his  own," 
The  "Hardshell"  Baptist  believed  more  in  the  skin  of  a  black 
cat  than  he  did  in  foreordination  and  predestination,  in  the 
case  of  his  patient,  for  he  still  insisted  that  he  could  have 
saved  her  if  the  cat-skin  had  been  applied  soon  enough. 

Our  medical  friend  relates  another  story  of  Dr,  Prather, 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA.  233 

and  if  tho  reader  doubts  his  veracity,  further  substantiation 
of  the  tale  may  bo  added  by  tlie  fact  tliat  there  are  to  this 
day  many  livinp;  descendants  of  the  yeUow  doj;  in  the  case. 
Bob  Martin  broke  a  Wg,  and  Prather  was  sent  for.  Prather 
l)rescribed  the  skin  of  a  3  el  low  do{?  in  which  to  bind  the 
fractured  limb.  One  was  killed,  and  the  skin  promptly  ap- 
idied.  The  patient  recovered,  but  the  le^"  was  crooked 
Prather  explaincMl  that  defect  by  saying  that  the  dog  had  a 
few  white  sjtots  on  its  belly,  which   had  been   overlooked. 

The  fumes  from  burninp;  chicken  feathers  were  consi<l- 
ei-ed  a  powerful  remedy  in  alleviating;'  the  ])ains  of  childbirth. 

The  lack  of  inteilij;ent  and  skilled  medical  practitioners 
in  early  days  added  most  to  the  hardships  of  the  early  set- 
tlers. However,  they  were  mostly  of  robust  constitutions 
and  were  seldom  side. 

They  Killed  the  Family  Pig. 

In  about  the  year  1850,  Wareham  G.  Clark  and  James 
Tracy  started  to  Burlington  with  a  load  of  wheat  to  have  it 
ground  into  flour.  While  en  route,  a  heavy  snow  fell  and 
buried  uj)  the  grass  upon  which  the  farmers  were  dependent 
for  feed  foi-  Iheir  oxen.  They  were  compelled  to  feed  their 
oxen  wheat  along  the  road,  and  as  they  were  five  weeks  mak- 
ing the  trip,  it  took  most  of  the  wheat  to  feed  the  team.  In 
their  absence,  their  wives  ran  short  of  breadstuff s.  The 
ladies  were  near  neigh])nrs,  so  they  concluded  to  butcher  a 
hog.  They  called  it  up  out  of  the  woods.  One  seized  it  by 
the  hind  legs,  and  the  other  knocked  it  in  the  head  with  an 
ax.  They  the^n  scalded  and  dressed  it.  and  on  hog  and 
honiinv  tliev  lived  until  the  retuiii  of  Iheir  lords. 


234 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 


THE  MONROE  COUNTY  JAIL. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

The  County  Jail  and  County  Finances. 

x-Xt  the  June  session  of  the  Monroe  County  Board  of 
Supervisors  of  1891  a  petition,  signed  by  227  citizens  and  tax- 
payers of  the  county,  praying  the  submission  of  a  proposition 
to  build  a  county  jail  and  jailer's  residence  in  Albia  at  a  cost 
of  |12,000,  was  submitted  to  the  Board  for  action,  in  the 
premisies. 

The  i)roposition  was  voted  upon  at  the  general  election, 
and  carried  by  a  vote  of  1,412  in  favor  of,  and  814  against, 
the  measure. 

According]}',  at  the  June  session  of  the  Board  of  1802 
that  body  ordered  that  the  county  be  bonded  in  the  sum  of 
125,000, 112,000  of  which  wns  to  apply  to  the  building  of  the 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA.  235 

jail  aud  jailer's  residence,  and  fi:{,000  to  be  applied  in 
liquidation  of  the  county's  indebtedness,  and  to  be  known  as 
the  county  bond  fund.  These  bonds  were  issued  in  sums  of 
one  thousajid  dollars  each,  and  bore  5  per  cent  interest,  pay- 
able semi-annually.  They  were  to  mature  in  1902;  but  the 
county  reserved  the  rijjht  to  redeem  them  before  maturity  in 
the  following  manner:  those  numbered  from  1  to  12  to  be 
])aid  any  time  before  maturity,  and  those  numbered  from  1'^ 
to  25.  both  iuflusive,  to  be  paid  any  time  after  live  years,  and 
before  maturity. 

I»rior  to  the  |25,000  issue,  there  were  |a,500  of  old  bonds 
outstanding,  held  by  Cleveland  (Ohio)  parties.  These  our 
County  Treasurer  paid  off  May  25,  1890. 

In  the  present  year  (1896)  an  additional  bond  levy  of 
$20,000  was  made  to  meet  current  indebtedness. 

None  of  the  principal  of  the  |25,000  has  been  paid,  so 
far;  but  at  present  there  is  on  hands  in  the  county  treasury 
the  following  available  funds:  county  funds,  $4,290.40;  jail 
funds,  14,719.87.  This  amount  can  be  paid  on  the  bonds  at 
any  time,  towards  liquidating  the  principal  and  meeting  the 
semi-annual  interest,  which  latter  becomes  due  in  July. 

The  First  National  Bank  of  Albia  holds  all  the  bonds 
now  outstanding,  and  took  them  at  a  liberal  premium.  The 
late  120,000  issue  matures  in  1900,  but  may  be  paid  at  any 
time  prior  to  that  date 

For  several  year's  the  county  tax  levy  has  been  placed 
at  the  highest  limit  authorized  by  law;  and  yet  the  county, 
year  after  year,  has  been  running  behind  in  its  current  in- 
debtedness, and  if  some  remedy  is  not  soon  interposed,  em- 
barrassing results  will  ensue  ere  long.  There  is  but  one  way 
to  remedy  the  evil,  and  that  is  to  require  township  assessors 
to  assess  property  at  its  actual  value.  There  are  grave  de- 
fects in  the  present  system  of  levying  county  taxes,  and  the 
County  Board  ought  to  exercis<'  closer  and  more  judicious 
supervision  in  the  matter  than  it  has  hitherto  shown. 

The  consolitlated  tax  levy  for  1890  was  15:M0  mills, 
and  while  the  county  levy  was  (>  mills — the  maximum  limit 
I>rescribed  by  law — the  entire  levy  consolidated  is  not  up  to 
the  maximum  limit.  The  county  bond  tax  is  also  pLact^  at 
the  highest  limit. 

The  statutes  authorize  the  Hoard  of  Supervisors  1o 
assess  and  levy  each  year  on  the  taxable  properly  of  the 
county,  in  addition  to  the  levy  autlHuized  for  other  purposes, 


236  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

a  sufficient  sum  to  pay  the  interest  on  outstanding  bonds 
accruing  before  the  next  annual  levy,  and  any  portion  of  the 
principal  which,  at  the  end  of  three  j^ears,  the  sum  raised 
shall  equal  at  least  20  per  cent  of  the  amount  of  the  bonds 
issued;  at  the  end  of  five  years,  at  least  40  per  cent  of  the 
amount ;  and  at  and  before  the  date  of  maturity  of  the  bonds 
sliall  be  equal  to  the  whole  amount  of  the  principal  and  in- 
terest. Such  money  arising  from  these  levies  constitutes 
the  bond  fund.  This  bond  fund  cannot  be  used  for  any  other 
purpose. 

Under  the  provisions  of  the  code,  the  Board  of  Super- 
visors have  the  power  to  levy  a  tax  of  ^  mill  on  the  dollar  to 
pay  off  these  bonds,  if  the  annual  levy  is  found  insufficient, 
and  this  provision  does  not  hinder  the  county  from  adopting 
a  still  higher  levy;  but  the  proposition  has  to  be  first  sub- 
mitted to  the  people  for  approval. 

The  county  tax  of  6  mills  can  also  be  increased  by  special 
act  of  the  Legislature,  but  the  proposition  would  also  have 
to  be  submitted  to  the  people  for  their  approval,  and  they 
Avould  vote  it  down.  There  is  always  a  disposition  on  the 
]>art  of  the  people  to  cry  down  any  proposition  to  increase 
taxation,  and,  on  the  other  hand,  they  call  loudly  for  "lower 
tiixes,  lower  taxes";  but  in  the  midst  of  this  popular  cry 
there  is  a  financial  skeleton  lurking  in  the  county's  closet — a 
''Banquo's  ghost,"  continually  rising  and  pointing  with  its 
finger  to  the  accumulating  indebtedness  of  the  county. 

The  County  Board  has  always  used  the  utmost  economy 
in  making  appropriations,  and  the  building  of  the  county 
jail  was  a  wise  and  economic  measure.  Prior  to  its  con- 
struction prisoners  were  taken  to  jails  in  adjoining  counties, 
at  considerable  expense.  For  instance,  if  a  prisoner  had  to 
be  transfei'red  to  Chariton,  twenty-five  miles  distant,  the 
sheriff  was  allowed  10  cents  per  mile  milage  or  |2.50;  and  40 
cents  an  hour  for  services,  which  made  |5  or  |6  more;  then 
the  prisoner's  and  officer's  transportation  should  be  added, 
and  the  amount  is  considerable.  Monroe  County  has  a 
splendid  and  amply  secure  jail,  and  it  is  well  worth  every 
cent  of  its  cost. 


BISTORT  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA.  237 


CHAPTER  XV. 

The  Methodist  Epistopal  Church. 

As  has  already  been  stated,  tlie  cliurch  is  oue  of  the 
trinity  of  the  church,  school-house,  and  printing-press,  which 
molds  civilization  and  brings  order  out  of  chaos. 

The  organization  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church 
in  Monroe  County  was  about  contemporaneous  with  that 
of  the  county  itself.  It  did  not  wait  for  social  organization 
to  take  form,  being  ever  on  the  alert  for  new  enterprises; 
but  in  the  month  of  August,  ISi'J,  and  within  four  months 
after  the  opening  of  the  county  for  settlement,  the  Rock 
River  Conference,  then  having  charge  of  the  work  in  Iowa, 
at  its  session  in  Dubuque,  being  the  first  annual  conference 
ever  held  in  Iowa,  mapped  out  a  district  including  the  "New 
Purchase,"  and  projected  a  mission  west  of  the  Des  Moines 
River,  to  which  it  gave  the  name  of  Soap  Creek  Mission, 
after  the  name  of  the  stream  in  Wapello  and  Monroe 
counties. 

This  Mission  was  designed  to  cover  all  of  the  "New 
Purchase"  south  and  west  of  the  Des  Moines  River  and  above 
Van  Ruron  County;  and  Rev.  Wm.  Hulbert,  a  young  man 
just  admitted  into  the  Conference,  was  sent  to  it  as  the  pio- 
neer missionary  of  the  church  to  this  part  of  Iowa.  Mr. 
Hulbert  located  at  Agency,  at  that  time  about  on  the  border 
of  civilization.  Some  of  those  points  within  his  charge  at 
which  he  preached  were  Alexander  May's,  near  wher^  Attica 
now  is;  and  another  was  at  the  cabin  of  James  R.  Boggs,  a 
mile  or  two  northeast  of  Albia.  He  preached  only  once  at 
May's,  and  on  that  occasion  his  horse  broke  loose  and  re- 
turned to  Agency,  swimming  Ihe  Des  Moines  River.  Its 
(►wner.  on  returning,  ]>addl('d  down  the  river  in  a  canoe  from 
Eddj'ville  to  Oljumwa.  and  from  thence  walked  home,  car- 
rying his  sad<ll('  on  liis  back.  Rev.  Hulbert  is  still  living, 
and  resides  at  San  Leanditn  California. 

The  Rlooni field  Mission  was  created  in  1S44.  and  Rloom- 
field,  Davis  County,  was  the  lieadijuartiTS  of  this  mission, 
Jesse  L.  Bennett  and  Jas.  F.  New  were  sent  out  as  ])reachers, 
but  Bennett  did  not  remain  in  the  work  long  in  tliis  mission. 
but  chose  other  fields  of  labor  in  the  cause  of  Christianity. 


238 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 


MKTHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHIRCH,  ALBIA,  IOWA. 


MONROE  COUNTY.  IOWA.  239 


New  ct)iiliiui(Ml  in  his  cluirgo  alone,  and  his  lichl  of  labors 
embraced  all  the  seltlenients  west  of  the  I)es  .Moines  Kiver 
from  the  old  base  line,  where  Troy  now  is,  northwest  to  the 
White-breast  Creek,  100  miles.  There  was  neither  ferry  nor 
bridge  to  accommodate  the  traveler,  and  the  mission  was 
about  ;^00  miles  in  circumfinence. 

As  Mr.  New's  territory  was  rather  too  extensive  for  one 
minisU'r,  Kev.  Allan  ^\^  .lohnson,  of  the  Fiddyville  Mission, 
was  directed  by  the  presiding  elder,  Kev.  Milton  Jameson,  to 
supply  the-  gap  made  by  the  retirement  of  Bennett.  Rev. 
Johnson  took  the  territory  west  of  Eddyville,  and  filled  the 
field  for  one  quarter,  preaching  monthly. 

In  1844  Johnson  formed  a  class  at  Boggs',  near  Albia. 
The  members  were  John  Lower,  leader.  Prudence  Lower,  Jas. 
K.  Boggs,  Jerusha  Boggs,  Josiah  C  l^oggs,  AN'illiam  Scott, 
and  Abiathar  Newton  and  wife. 

The  next  year  another  class  was  formed  south  of  Albia, 
at  the  house  of  David  Rowles.  Of  this  class  Rebecca  Rowies, 
the  wife  of  David  Rowles,  Oliver  P.  Rowles,  Miranda  Smith, 
Andrew  Elswick  and  wife,  John  and  Matilda  ^Nfassey,  Nancy 
Mock,  and  Hillah  Hayes  and  wife  were  original  members. 
Of  this  number,  John  Massey  and  Oliver  P.  Rowles  are  still 
living  in  Monroe  County.  Nancy  Mock  lives  in  Oregon,  and 
Hillah  Hayes  and  wife  are  residing  near  Ness  City,  Kansas. 

For  his  three  months'  service  west  of  the  river  Rev. 
Johnson  received  75  cents  in  mont^v.  After  this,  a  minister 
named  M.  S.  Frame  assisted  New  in  his  mission  work,  and 
that  year  20,'?  members  were  reported  to  the  Conference. 

Tn  the  fall  of  1S45  the  mission  was  divided,  and  the  u]»per 
]>art,  including  Monroe  County,  was  called  the  Tapper  Wliite- 
breast  Mission.  New  was  continued  in  this  part  of  the  tield, 
and  occupied  a  cabin  fiiur  or  five  mih's  west  of  Ottumwa,  on 
a  farm  owned  by  John  Kirkpatrick ;  later  he  lived  near  Albia, 
and  also  resided  on  English  Creek,  in  Marion  County,  for  a 
short  time.  New  afleiwai-ds  went  to  Missouri,  and  then  to 
Arkansas,  where  he  was  shot  down  by  some  di^sperado.  who 
had  r;)bb('d  his  post-office  and  stolen  some  horses  in  the  neigh- 
borhood, .and  whom  he  and  others  were  atl(Mui>ting  to  cap- 
ture. He  is  described  as  a  "sledge-hammer''  lyjie  of  clergy- 
man, and  was  an  active  and  zealous  Christian. 

In  the  fall  of  1K4(;  the  field  was  called  simply  the  White- 
breast  Mission,  and  Michael  H.  Hare  and  \V.  W.  Knight  were 
the  preachers.     That  fall,  the  couuly  seal   having  been  lo- 


240  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY.  IOWA. 

cated  at  Albia,  Hare  formed  the  first  class  in  the  town  by 
consolidating  the  two  country  classes  at  Boggs'  and  Rowles'. 
This  new  class  comprised  substantially  the  membership  of 
the  two  old  classes,  with  the  addition  of  A.  C.  Wilson  and 
wife,  John  Webb,  Sr.,  and  wife,  S.  B.  Gossage  and  wife,  Arvine 
White  and  wife,  W.  L.  and  Celia  Knight,  Thos.  Myers,  A.  0. 
Barnes  and  wife,  John  Phillips  and  wife,  Geo.  W.  Noble  and 
wife,  Jas.  Tate,  Riley  Wescoatt,  Thos.  Guinn  and  A.  0. 
Johnson. 

The  services  in  those  days  were.,  for  the  most  part,  held 
in  the  little  log  court-house  on  the  east  side  of  the  Square. 

ReA^  Knight  died  in  1847,  and  Hare  was  left  with  the 
entire  supervision  of  the  charge.  He  afterwards  became  a 
presiding  elder  of  the  Albia  District,  and  in  1862  enlisted  in 
the  armv  and  served  as  chaplain  in  the  Thirty-sixth  Iowa 
Infantry.  He  died  at  Mount  Pleasant,  Iowa,  July  27,  1868. 
In  1847  Revs.  Hugh  Gibson  and  Joseph  Ockerman  were 
assigned  to  the  mission.  Gibson  afterwards  went  to  Cali- 
fornia, and  died  there,  a  member  of  the  Conference. 

Ockerman's  health  having  finally  failed  in  1847,  the  pre- 
siding elder,  Rev.  O.  O.  Stewart,  for  w^ant  of  a  licensed 
preacher,  appointed  a  private  member  of  the  church  to  take 
charge  of  the  local  work.  This  young  man's  name  was 
Strange  Brooks.  He  was  licensed  to  exhort,  and  began  his 
labors  in  1848.  Brooks  was  in  time  licensed  to  preach,  and 
later  engaged  in  church  work  in  Iowa,  Kansas,  Oklahoma, 
southern  Illinois,  and  Colorado,  where  he  now  resides. 

In  1848  the  Conference  records  first  mention  the  name 
of  Albia.  In  that  year  the  upper  part  of  the  White-breast 
Mission  was  set  off  to  the  Knoxville  Circuit  and  the  remain- 
der was  constituted  the  Albia  Mission;  and  it  remained  a 
mission  until  1851,  receiving  more  or  less  support  from  the 
Missionary  Society.  For  eight  years  this  aid  was  expended 
for  the  support  of  the  church,,  and  towards  maintaining  its 
pastors. 

The  ministers  during  this  time  sent  to  the  mission  were: 
1848,  A.  G.  Pierce,  eloseph  Ockerman;  1849,  James  Q.  Ham- 
mond; 1850,  Robert  L.  Cock.  Of  these,  Pierce  is  still  living. 
Cock's  name  was  changed  by  the  Legislature  into  Cole;  and 
under  that  name  he  preached  at  Chariton  until  his  death. 

In  1851  the  Albia  Mission  became  the  Albia  Circuit,  by 
which  name  is  meant,  that  it  assumed  its  own  support,  and  it 
continued  such  down  to  1865,     During  this  period  it  had  the 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA.  241 

followiug  preachers:  1855,  Chas.  Woolsey;  1856-7,  F.  W. 
Evans;  1858,  I.  P.  Teter;  1850,  Tlios.  Aiidras;  1800,  J.  \V. 
Latham;  18(11,  Jas.  Hayues;  18(>2-;?,  W.  C.  Shii»pen;  1804, 
Annie  H.  SeliafiT.  Of  these,  Johnson,  Woolsey,  Latham,  and 
Schafer  are  dead. 

Durinjz:  this  period  the  ministerial  work  became  more 
and  more  restricted.  In  1851  tlie  appointments  througnont 
the  circuit  were  as  follows:  Albia — Kev.  Kuijiiit,  three  miles 
northwest  of  Albia;  Rev,  Woolsey,  still  further  north;  Kev. 
J)avis,  northeast  of  Albia,  down  in  the  "Hairy  Nation,"  east 
of  the  Allen  school-house,  Chillicothe,  then  on  Keokuk  Prai- 
rie opposite  Ottumwa,  Milburn's  school-house,  Blakesburg, 
at  a  grove  southwest  of  Blakesburg,  and  at  Potts',  eleven 
miles  southwest  of  Albia. 

In  1852  the  appointments  south  of  the  river  in  Wapello 
County  were  placed  in  the  newly  formed  Chillicothe  Circuit. 
In  1844  the  old  quarterly  conference  shows  the  preaching 
places  were:  Albia,  Hinton's,  Knight's,  Hamilton,  Sumner's, 
Bluff  Creek,  Noe's,  Davis',  Shields',  Potts',  Ingham's,  Hayes', 
and  Newcomers'  Point. 

In  1854  a  circuit  was  formed  called  the  South  Grove 
Circuit,  with  John  Jay  as  preacher,  which  took  in  all  the 
county  appointments  except  Knight's,  Hayes',  and  Ingham's, 
and  in  tliat  year  a  new  appointment  was  added — viz.,  Sut- 
cliff's.  The  next  year  this  South  Grove  Circuit  took  the  name 
of  Hamilton  Circuit. 

In  1865  Albia  was  first  designated  as  a  station,  although 
it  still  retained  one  outside  appointment — viz.,  Reitzel's 
School-house.  Since  then,  the  a|)pointments  to  the  station 
have  been  as  follows:  1865-6,  F.  W.  P]vans;  1867,  Joshua  P>. 
Hardy;  1868,  Jesse  Craig;  1860,  R.  B.  A 1  lender;  1870,  John 
Harris;  1871,  E.  H.  Winans;  1S72-.'*,  Tlios.  Stephenson; 
1874-5.  Ira  O.  Kemball;  1876,  John  Havnes;  1877,  C.  L.  S^taf- 
ford;  1878-0,  W.  G.  Wilson;  1880,  B.  F.  Karns;  1881-2,  C.  B. 
Clark;  188.'i.  L  P.  Teter  again;  1884,  G.  H.  Power;  1885,  W. 
F.  Cowles;  1886-7,  J.  A.  Boatman;  1888-02,  D.  C.  Smith; 
1803-4,  W.  R.  Stryker;  1805-6,  E.  L.  Sclireiner. 

Of  these.  Rev.  Karns  resigned  after  18  months  of  in 
cumbency,  and  liis  ])la(e  was  lilled  by  .Miss  Annie  Downy. 
C.  B.  Clark,  on  account  of  family  allliction,  lilled  only  six 
months  of  the  year,  and  his  jtlace  was  talcen  by  Rev,  Groome. 
Harris,  Havnes,  and  Power  are  dead. 


242  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

From  authentic  sources  it  appears  that  at  least  13,000 
persons  have  been  connected  with  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church  since  its  beginning  in  1840. 

In  1843  the  Des  Moines  District  was  formed,  with  Rev. 
Henrj^  Summers,  the  pioneer  presiding  elder,  in  charge  of  it. 
The  next  year  Rev.  Milton  Jameson  was  sent  to  it,  and  since 
then  the  districts  embracing  Albia  and  vicinity  and  the  pre- 
siding elders  have  been  as  follows : 

Des  Moines  District — 1844-0,  Milton  Jameson;  1847-8, 
I.  I.  Stewart;  1849-50,  Andrew  Coleman;  1851-3,  John 
Hayden. 

Ottumwa  District — 1854,  Joseph  Brooks. 

Albia  District— 1855-58,  James  Q.  Hammond;  1859-02, 
M.  H.  Hare;  1862-05,  Jas.  Haynes. 

Ottumwa  District- -1800,  AV.  C.  Shippen. 

Albia  District— 1807-09,  John  Burgess;  1870-71,  R.  B. 
Allender. 

Ottumwa  District— 1872-3,  R.  B.  Allender;  1874-5,G.  N. 
Power;  1870-9,  Banner  Mark;  1880-3,.  W.  G.  Wilson ;  1884-7, 
I.  P.  Teter;  1888-93,  J.  W.  McDonald;  1893,  D.  C.  Smith. 

Haynes  took  Hare's  place  when  the  latter  entered  the 
arm}^,  and  D.  C.  Smith  was  ap]>ointed  to  fill  the  vacancy 
caused  by  the  death  of  McDonald  in  1893. 

Joseph  Brooks  served  for  four  years  as  editor  of  the 
Christian  Advocate  at  St.  Louis,  and  aftierwards  was  an  officer 
in  the  army,  and  later  in  the  reconstruction  troubles  in 
Arkansas,  where  he  acquired  national  note  as  one  of  the 
principals  in  the  Brooks-Baxter  gubernatorial  embroglio  at 
Little  Rock,  some  years  ago.  Each  party  claimed  to  have 
been  elected  governor  under  a  varying  construction  of  the 
State  constitution,  and  as  neither  wouldyield,  the  contestants 
each  rallied  an  armed  force,  ajid  the  affair  assumed  a  martial 
aspect.     Baxter  held  the  executive  office. 

Of  these  sixteen  presiding  elders,  nine  are  dead — viz.: 
Jameson,  Stewart,  Coleman,  Hayden,  Brooks,  Hammond, 
Hare,  Power,  and  McDonald. 

Within  the  fifty  years  of  the  church  organization,  53 
ministers  have  served  in  the  vicinity,  as  pastors  and  presiding 
elders. 

In  the  early  years  of  the  Church,  its  financial  support 
was  very  meager.  For  instance,  in  1840-7  the  amount  raised 
for  ministerial  support,  outside  the  regular  missionary  fund, 
was  $57.75.     In  1852-3  the  circuit  paid  the  elder  |30."00  and 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA.  243 

the  pastor  |300.00 ;  in  1853-4  the  elder  received  |37.50  and  the 
pastor  1350.50;  in  1854-5  the  elder  got  $72.50,  the  preacher  in 
charge  $408.13,  and  the  junior  preacher  an  even  $100.  In 
1S58-9  Rev.  Teter  received  $346.08.  The  station  started  out 
with  an  estimate  for  the  pastor  for  $800,  but  the  records 
credit  only  $674.10  collected  that  year  for  all  purposes. 
Since  that  time,  with  the  increase  of  numbers  and  ability, 
there  has  been  a  marked  improvement  in  this  regard. 

The  Iowa  Conference  held  its  twenty-seventh  session 
with  this  church,  commencing  September  28, 1870,  under  the 
presidency  of  Bishop  E.  R,  Ames,  with  Rev.  E.  H.  Waring 
as  secretary.  The  roll  at  the  opening  session  contained  just 
100  names.  Since  then  38  of  this  number  have  died,  and  37 
are  still  members  of  the  Conference,  but  10  only  are  in  active 
work. 

In  1850  the  first  church  was  completed  in  Albia.  It  was 
a  frame  structure,  about  30x45  feet  in  size,  with  one  door 
facing  the  east;  large  windows  filled  with  small-sized  panes 
of  glass,  and  seats  and  pulpit  to  correspond  with  the  general 
plain  style  of  architecture.  It  stood  one  block  north  from 
the  northwest  corner  of  the  Square,  where  two  lots  were  pur- 
chased for  the  edifice  at  a  cost  of  $18.00.  The  first  trustees 
were  Oliver  P.  Rowles,  Michael  Lower,  John  Webb,  Jr.,  D.  J. 
]Moore,  Jas.  Tate.  Andrew  Elswick,  and  John  Lower.  In  1867 
this  frame  building  gave  way  to  a  one-story  brick  structure, 
with  an  addition  on  the  west,  which  was  added  by  Rev.  Ira 
O.  Kemble,  at  his  own  expense,  during  his  pastorate. 

During  the  war,  several  colored  parties,  then  known  as 
"contrabands,"  made  their  way  across  the  southern  border, 
and,  being  ^lethodists,  were  assigned  to  the  "amen  corner" 
in  the  old  frame  church.  The  colored  brethren  were  fond  of 
running  in  and  ont  during  services,  and  to  prevent  this  con- 
fusion they  were  invited  to  occupy  seats  in  the  reai*  near  the 
door,  when  the  new  church  was  ready  for  services.  One  old 
colored  brother  refused  to  occupy  the  new  place  in  the 
clinrch,  and  when  invited  to  do  so,  lie  and  liis  followers  ai'ose 
and  fi]e<l  out  and  never  returned  to  tlie  church. 

-Nt  Icngtli,  the  o]<l  brick  churcli  could  not  accommo- 
date the  increasing  membership,  and  t  lie  lots  and  edifice  were 
sold  and  tlie  present  liandsome  editice  erected  one  block 
south  of  the  southwest  corner  of  the  Square,  at  a  cost  of 
$13,000.  This  edifice  Avas  formally  dedicated  bv  Dr.  J.  W. 
Clinton  on  Februarv  28,  1802. 


244  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

The  Presbyterian  Church. 

On  tlie  2nd  day  of  August,  1851,  after  a  seimou  by  Rev. 
L.  J.  Bell,  a  missionary  of  the  Assembly  Board,  the  initial 
steps  were  taken  in  Albia  towards  the  organization  of  a 
Presbyterian  church.  David  Wills  and  his  wife  Sarah, 
Martha  Wills  and  Eveline  Wills,  Samuel  Noble,  Margaret 
Casey,  David  Burnside  and  his  wife  Emily,  John  Young  and 
his  wife  Rachel,  David  H.  Scott  and  his  wife  Mary  were  the 
charter  members  of  the  church.  They  presented  certificates 
and  other  satisfactory  evidence  of  having  been  members  of 
the  Presbyterian  Church  elsewhere.  An  election  was  then 
had.  and  David  Wills  and  John  Young  were  unanimously 
chosen  elders.  It  was  resolved  that  the  organization  be 
called  the  ^'First  Presbyterian  Church  of  Albia." 

December  20,  1851,  at  a  session  of  the  board,  David 
Wills  and  John  Young  were  ''moderated"  by  Rev.  W.  J. 
Frazier.  At  this  session  Mrs.  Mary  Noble,  wife  of  Samuel 
Noble,  was  received  to  the  communion.  The  ordinance  of 
baptism  was  then  administered  to  her  and  her  infant  son, 
Alvis  Emmett.  Rev.  W.  J.  Frazier  administered  the  Lord's 
supper. 

At  the  next  session,  May  1,  1852,  the  ordinance  of  baj)- 
tisra  was  administered  to  Margaret  Ann,  infant  daughter  of 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  D.  H.  Scott. 

On  January  2,  1854,  the  first  annual  report  from  ^Nlarch, 
1853,  to  March.  1854,  was  submitted: 

Number  communicants  received  on  examination 5 

Number  communicants  received  on  certificate 19 

Number  adults  baptized 1 

Number  infants  baptized 7 

Funds  for  Commissioner |  2.00 

Funds  for  church  and  religious  purposes 37.50 

Funds  for  Bible  cause 5.00 

This  report  was  approved  by  the  Des  ISIoines  Presbytery 
at  Libertyville,  March  IG,  18G4,  by  D.  V.  Smock,  moderator. 

In  a  session  held  April  5,  185(5,  the  name  of  Rev.  J.  M. 
Bachelor  first  appears  as  moderator.  Among  those  received 
into  the  church  at  this  session  were  Mr.  James  Collins  and 
his  wife  Sarah.  Mr.  Collins  died  at  his  residence,  a  few  miles 
south  of  Albia,  early  in  the  spring  of  1896. 

At  a  session  of  the  board  of  March  13,  1857,  Samuel  Noble 
and  D.  H.  Scott,  having  been  previously  elected  elders,  were 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA.  245 

duly  installed  in  the  oflfioe.  At  this  same  session  Miss  Mary 
Saunders  and  Mary  A.  liaclielor,  the  latter  the  infant 
daughter  of  Kev.  IJachelor  and  wife,  were  taken  into  the 
church  by  bajdisui.     llvy.  V.  II.  Jacob  performed  the  rile. 

The  annual  report  fr<uu  isr»(;  (o  tS,")!  shows  (V.i  members 
added,  and  1  deceased.  Tulal  in  communion,  87;  and  also 
shows  the  minister's  salary  to  have  been  |333.33. 

On  Saturday  evening,  February  G,  1858,  Charles  McClain 
was  summoned  to  ap])ear  before  the  session  to  answer  the 
charge  of  getting  drunk.  Samuel  Noble  and  David  Wilis 
had  previously  been  sent  as  a  committee  to  expostulate  with 
the  eri'ing  brotlier.  The  charges  and  specifications  were  as 
follows: 

^'Whereas,  It  is  commonly  reported  that  you,  Charles 
McClain,  have  been  guilty  of  unchristian  conduct  in  several 
instances: 

"1st.  Of  being  in  the  habit  of  using  intoxicating 
liquoi  s. 

"lid.  Of  (juarreling  Avith  and  using  profane  language 
while  (juarieling  witli  the  ]McMicluu'ls, 

''.'Jd.  Of  a  violation  of  the  Sabbath  day.  as  well  as  of  the 
civil  law,  in  going  on  the  Sabbath  and  taking  and  driving  off 
a  yoke  of  oxen  that  were  held  under  execution. 

"4th.  Of  using  scurrilous  and  vulgar  language  on  the 
same  Sabbath  evening  towards  Carlos  Kelsey. 

"5tli.  Of  using  profane  language  towards  Mr.  John 
Kelly  on  Saturday,  December  30,  1858." 

Samuel  Noble  was  appointed  prosecutor  of  the  case, 
and  McClain  defended  himself.  All  the  charges  except  the 
fourth  specification  were  sustained,  ajid  McClain  was 
susjx'nih'd. 

In  1858  tile  pastor's  salary  was  raised  to  |500.  There 
were  in  communion  05  members  that  year. 

During  one  or  two  sessions  of  .July.  1858,  Mrs.  V'.sther 
Boyle  prefers  charg<*s  of  falsehood  against  Brother  W.  W. 
Mathias,also  against  Sister  Matlnas"for  talkingin  aslander- 
ous  and  unchristianlike  manner  about  me  at  different  times, 
once  at  Mr.  Duncan's,  and  once  at  Mr.  David  Howies'."  In 
the  case  of  Mr.  ^rathias,  the  session  suspen<le(l  liim  until  he 
would  i-e])ent.  Sister  Matliias  was  not  susjiriided,  but  the 
moderator  was  direct<Ml  to  a<lminisler  lo  her  a  mild  admoni- 
tion in  the  presence  of  the  session. 

The  next  year  >rcr'lain  was  permanently  suspended,  he 


246  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

manifesting  no  feelings  of  repentance.  Mr.  Mathias,  how- 
ever, repented  of  his  sin,  confessed  his  error,  and  was  rein- 
stated. 

At  a  session  of  December,  1859,  Miss  Mary  Welsh  was 
hauled  up  before  the  session  for  dancing.  She  refused  to 
admit  that  she  committed  a  sin  in  dancing,  but  promised  to 
desist  from  the  amusement  in  future,  since  the  church  con- 
sidered it  wrong.  The  session  took  no  further  cognizance  of 
the  charge.  However,  it  seems  that  the  sinful  Mary  danced 
again  in  1860,  for  the  records  show  that  she  again  received  a 
''citation"  to  appear  before  the  session  of  April  3d.  She 
again  acknowledged  the  charge,  again  professed  deep  peni- 
tence, and  again  escaped  with  a  reproof  and  admonition. 

At  the  session  of  August  22,  1800,  Mrs.  Eliza  Shields 
submits  a  paper  setting  forth  that: 

"WJiereas,  Mrs.  Eliza  Shields  feeling  aggrieved  at  certain 
charges  which  have  been  extensively  circulated  against  her 
in  this  community  by  Rev.  J.  N.  Pressley,  of  the  United 
Presbyterian  Church  of  Albia,  which  charges  are:  1st, 
that  about  the  first  Sabbath  of  September,  1858,  she  had  ap- 
plied to  him  and  his  session  to  become  a  member  of  his 
church,  and  was  received  on  such  application,  and  so  was  a 
member  of  that  church  at  the  time  of  her  being  received  into 
the  Presbyterian  Church ;  2d,  that  in  support  of  this  charge 
he  had  said  her  name  had  been  read  out  publicly  on  commun- 
ion Sabbath,  in  company  with  the  names  of  many  others,  as 
having  been  received;  3d,  that  Mrs.  Shields,  in  denying  the 
above  statements,  had  accused  the  Rev.  Mr.  Pressley  of  lying; 
she  therefore  asks  the  session  to  investigate  those  charges, 
and  requests  that  the  following  witnesses  be  cited  to  appear, 
to  give  testimony  in  the  matter — viz.,  Mrs.  HannaJi  Robb. 
Mrs.  Jane  Robb,  Miss  Mary  Ann  Buchanan,  and  Miss  Mary 
Lyon." 

The  following  persons  were  also  summoned  as  wit- 
nesses: Mrs.  Samuel  Noble,  Mr.  David  Wills,  Mr.  James 
Robb,  and  Mr.  David  Forcythe.  The  latter,  who  was  clerk 
of  the  United  Presbyterian  session,  did  not  heed  the  sum- 
mons to  appear,  and  was  absent,  as  w^as  also  Mrs,  Buchanan, 
another  member  of  that  church.  After  a  fair  and  impartial 
judicial  church  trial,  the  session  found  that  Sister  Shields 
imd  never  applied  for  membership  in  the  United  Presbyterian 
Church;  that  her  name  had  never  been  publicly  read  out; 
that  her  name  was  not  even  on  the  record  book  of  the  United 


EI8T0R7  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA.  247 

Presbyterian  Church.  Then  the  tribunal  concluded  its  ses- 
sion by  professing  its  high  esteem  and  cordial  fellowship 
towards  the  United  Presbyterian  Church,  and  declares  that 
nothing  in  its  decision  should  retiect  on  Brother  Pressley. 
It  further  states  that  there  was  no  evidence  that  Sister 
Shields  ever  called  Brother  Pressley  a  liar. 

In  1878  it  appears  that  John  A.  Edwards,  a  member  of 
the  church,  became  in  some  measure  dissatisfied  with  Kev. 
]Jachelor,  the  pastor.  Edwards  withheld  a  portion  of  his 
usually  liberal  pecuniary  support  of  the  church,  and  even 
hinted  that  the  pastor  ought  to  resign.  A  formal  concilia- 
tion was  finally  made,  and  jNIr.  Edwards  signed  a  written 
statement  to  the  effect  that  possibly  he  might  have  misap- 
prehended the  pastor's  utterances  and  motives,  and  pro- 
fessed deep  repentance  and  desired  the  forgiveness  of  the 
l)astor.  Rev.  Bachelor  also  signed  a  statement  exonerating 
Brother  Edwards  from  any  acts  of  malice,  admitting  also 
that  the  brother's  actions  were  justifiable  under  the  con- 
struction he  had  placed  upon  the  pastor's  utterances;  he 
also  receives  Mr.  Edwards  back  into  the  fold.  A  few  days 
later  the  quarrel  broke  out  afresh,  and  the  pastor  signs 
another  statement  to  the  etiect  that  Brother  Edwards  had 
already  disavowed  his  good  concessions  expressed  under 
his  signature.  He  censures  iiim  for  declaring  "that  he 
would  make  no  promise  of  any  pecuniary  support;  thereby 
declaring  that  the  small  amount  he  luid  given  during  the 
last  year  (while  in  Iiis  offense)  was  all  he  expected  to  give." 

It  seems  that  at  about  this  time  the  pastor  had  tendered 
his  resignation  as  pastor,  for  the  sessional  record  contains 
this  entry: 

"Report  of  Judkial  Committee. 

"The  Judicial  Committee  to  whom  was  referred  the 
resignation  of  Rev.  J.  M.  Bachelor  as  pastor  of  the  church 
of  Albia,  would  report:  that  after  hearing  very  fully 
from  both  the  ]>astor  and  elder  frcnu  that  church,  they  ai'e 
duly  impressed  with  the  importance  of  emphasizing  their 
sense  of  the  sacred  character  of  the  i>astoral  relation;  that 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  himself  gave  pastors;  that  it  is  sinful 
and  dangerous  to  do  that  which  tends  to  ]>art  asunder  'that 
which  (Jod  liath  joined  together';  that  any  rude  couduel 
is  of  the  nature  of  an  assault  on  the  ordinances  of  God. 

"With  double  force  would  we  address  the  members  of 


248  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

session,  who  at  their  ordination  solemnly  vowed  to  study 
the  peace,  unity,  and  purity  of  the  church. 

"When  in  any  instance  it  becomes  advisable  to  ask 
for  a  dissolution  of  the  pastoral  relation,  we  would  remind 
them  that  there  is  a  proper  method  of  procedure  in  our 
book. 

"But  that  any  member  of  the  church  and  especially 
any  member  of  the  session,  who  should  cease  attending 
the  ordinances  of  God's  house  administered  by  the  pastor, 
and  withdraw  his  support  in  whole  or  in  part,  and  decline 
to  cooperate  with  his  pastor  in  order  to  break  up  the 
pastoral  relation,  presbytery  declares  to  be  schismatical, 
and  a  breach  of  ordination  vows,  and  highly  censurable. 

"While  your  court  are  fully  alive  to  the  greatness  of 
the  sacrifice  required  in  the  dissolution  of  the  pastoral 
relation  of  well-nigh  a  quarter  of  a  century's  duration, 
which  being  the  only  one  the  pastor  ever  had,  and  the 
object  of  his  first  and  only  love,  in  whose  families  are 
associations  dearer  than  life,  .yet  we  are  compelled  to  look 
the  facts  in  the  face  and  agree  with  a  majority  of  the 
session — the  fast  friends  of  the  pastor — that  in  view  of 
the  sadly  divided  condition  of  the  church — for  the  pastor's 
comfort  and  usefulness — the  resignation  of  the  pastoral 
charge  ought  to  be  accepted,  and  though  exceedingly  sorry 
for  this  necessity,  and  expressing  our  heartfelt  sympathy 
with  the  pastor,  this  is  the  recommendation  of  your  com- 
mittee. "J.  H.  Potter, 

"Josiah  T.  Young.'^ 

This  expression  of  excessive  kindness  did  not  kill  the 
pastor,  as  might  be  expected.  He  removed  shortly  after- 
wards to  Osborn,  Kansas,  where  he  is  engaged  to  this  day 
in  ministerial  work.  He  is  an  able  minister,  and  was 
greatly  reverenced  by  his  flock;  notwithstanding,  his  church 
at  Albia,  at  about  the  time  of  his  resignation,  had  settled 
into  a  state  of  spiritual  lethargy,  which  is  often  the  result 
of  retaining  one  pastor  too  long. 

In  September,  1878,  Rev.  E.  L.  Williams  succeeded 
Rev.  J.  M.  Bachelor  as  "supply"  of  the  First  Presbyterian 
Church  at  Albia.  His  labors  dated  from  August  18,  1878, 
and  were  to  continue  one  year.  At  the  end  of  the  year  he 
was  invited  to  the  pastorate,  but  stated  that  he  was  not 
prepared  to  accept  the  call.  However,  he  agreed  to  remain 
as  "supply"  for  six  months  longer  for  |400,  which  proposi- 
tion was  accepted  by  the  session  board. 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA.  249 

At  a  session  dated  September  20,  1880,  Kev.  Samuel 
Ollerinshaw  was  selected  as  i)astor  for  six  months,  to 
succeed  Mr.  Williams.  Salary  to  be  not  less  tlian  |400; 
$35  Avas  also  appropriated  to  defray  his  expenses  and  two 
weeks'  servict'S  at  Albia.  Jirother  Daii'l  Miller  also  received 
the  thanks  of  the  session  for  his  services  as  bookkeeper 
and  oolleotor,  and  was  re-elected  for  another  year.  In 
,later  years  this  gentleman  acquired  considerable  notoriety 
as  an  expert  bookkeeper,  as  cashier  of  the  Monroe  County 
Bank. 

^Vt  a  session  of  December  4,  1882,  Jacob  Kimball  and 
Geo.  llartzer  were  suspended  from  the  church  on  a  charge 
of  "walking  disorderly,"  and  of  neglecting  the  means  of 
grace;  and  in  July  of  the  next  year  Brother  Daniel  M.  Miller 
was  suspended  for  getting  away  with  the  funds  of  the 
church. 

On  August  31,  1885,  a  joint  session  of  the  Presbyterian 
and  United  Trebyterian  churches  of  Albia  was  held  for 
the  purpose  of  considering  a  proiposition  to  junite  both 
congregations  into  one.  Elders  A.  Bain,  J.  C.  Khea,  W.  K. 
Elder,  and  Daniel  Forcythe  represented  the  United  I'resby- 
terian  Church,  and  Samuel  Noble,  D.  H.  Scott,  A.  A.  Mason, 
John  A.  Edwards,  and  Josiah  T.  Young  represented  the 
Presbyterian  Church.  Considerable  discussion  was  had 
on  the  subject  of  union,  but  nothing  was  accomplished.  The 
United  Presbyterian  brethren  consented  to  unite  if  the  other 
church  would  take  the  organ  out  of  the  church,  adopt  close 
communion,  and  sing  psalms,  none  of  which  propositions 
were  consented  to. 

On  August  9,  188(5,  Rev.  T.  F.  Boyd,  of  Marysville, 
Kansas,  was  chosen  pastor  io  succeed  Kev.  Ollerinshaw. 
lie  was  guaranteed  a  minimum  salary  of  |800  a  year,  and 
as  much  above  that  amount  as  could  be  raised. 

Ajjril  1,  188!),  the  session  signed  a  call  to  Kev.  E.  B. 
Linn  to  act  as  pastor,  guaranteeing  him  |;8(K)  a  year  and 
the  use  of  the  ])arsonage.  ^Ir.  Linn  is  still  the  pastor  of  the 
church  in  Albia,  and  is  a  zealous  and  ellicient  worker." 

The  following  is  a  statistical  icpin-t  of  the  clnirch  made 
to  the  jM-eshytery.  for  the  year  ending  April  L  1S!M):  Elders, 
4;  deacons,  2;  ad«led  on  examination.  S;  added  on  certificate, 
7;  total  communicants,  170;  baptisms,  adults,  5;  infants,  4; 
Sunday-school  membership.  125;  contributions  to  home 
missions,  f40;  foi-eign  missions.  ^i('>\  etln<'ati  )n.  $8;  Sabbath- 


250  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

school  work,  |18;  church  erection,  $8;  freedmen,  $9;  General 
Assembly,  |16.20;  congregational  expenses,  |13.90;  miscel- 
laneous, |15. 

The  report  for  1892  shows:  Total  communicants,  183; 
Sabbath-school  membership,  100;  home  missions,  |74;  for- 
eign missions,  $58;  education,  |15;  Sunday-school  work, 
111;  church  erection,  |7;  relief  fund,  |15;  freedmen,  |5; 
aid  for  colleges,  |15;  General  Assembly,  |17;  congrega- 
tional, 11,336.17;  miscellaneous,  |85. 

The  report  if  or  1894  gives:  Number  of  elders,  16;  dea 
cons,  2;  added  on  examination  and  certificate,  15;  total  com- 
municants, 200;  no  baptisms;  Sabbath-school  membership, 
140;  home  missions,  |104;  foreign  missions,  |48;  education, 
111;  Sunday-school  work,  |14;  church  erection,  |23;  relief 
fund,  |13;  freedmen,  |7;  aid  for  colleges,  |14;  General 
Assembly,  |27;  congregational,  |1,627.71. 

For  the  year  1895  the  following  is  the  statistical  report 
of  the  condition  of  the  church  as  reported  to  the  presbytery: 
Elders,  6;  deacons,  3;  added  on  both  examination  and  certifi- 
cate, 15;  total  communicants,  200;  baptisms,  15;  Sabbath- 
school  membership,  150;  home  missions,  |109;  foreign  mis- 
sions. |82;  education,  |8;  Sabbath-school  work,  |14;  church 
erection,  |8;  relief  fund,  |18;  freedmen,  — ;  General  As- 
sembly, 121.18;  congregational,  |1,293.12;  American  Bible 
Society,  |5;  miscellaneous,  |50. 

At  a  session  of  May  3, 1896,  Rev.  E.  B.  Linn,  the  pastor, 
submitted  his  resignation,  to  take  efl'ect  July  1,  1896,  assign- 
ing as  the  cause  the  ill  health  of  both  himself  and  wife;  and 
at  the  next  session.  May  10th,  after  due  consultation^  the 
board  determined  on  the  following  proposition: 

"Pastor,  Rev.  E.  B.  Linn,  to  have  one  month's  vacation, 
commencing  July  1,  1896,  with  leave  of  absence  for  August 
and  September  if  he  so  desires,  and  his  salary  to  go  on  all  the 
time,  except  that  the  expense  of  supplying  the  pulpit  for 
August  and  September  shall  be  paid  from  salary;  Brother 
Linn,  if  possible,  is  to  secure  supply  for  those  two  months." 

The  proposition  was  accepted  by  the  pastor,  and,  at  the 
end  of  the  three  months,  he  returned  to  his  charge  slightly 
improved  in  health.  Rev.  Witte  acted  as  a  supply  during 
his  absence. 

The  first  church  edifice  erected  by  the  Presbyterians  of 
Albia  was  a  brick  structure,  30x40  feet,  and  one  story.  It 
occupied  the  site  of  the  present  church,  which  was  finished 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA.  251 

in  1873.  The  size  of  the  latter  is  about  38x70  feet,  with  base- 
ment story,  used  for  prayer-meeting  and  library.  The  cost 
of  the  building  was  |8,000. 

Besides  the  pastors  already  enumerated.  Revs.  S.  C. 
McCune,  of  Oskaloosa;  Rev.  II.  P.  Barnes,  of  Clyde,  Ohio; 
and  Rev.  S.  W.  Pollack,  now  of  Centerville,  Iowa,  each  pre- 
sided for  a  short  time. 

The  Presbyterian  choir,  as  at  the  present  composed,  in- 
cludes a  high  grade  of  musical  talent,  and  the  church  stands 
in  the  front  rank  of  popularity. 

The  Associate  Preshyterians  {''Seceders'^). 

^^  hen  Monroe  County  was  first  settled,  many  of  the  pio- 
neer settlers,  wishing  to  profit  by  closer  fraternal  associa- 
tions, naturally  grouped  themselves  together  in  communities 
iir  colonies;  hence  the  Catholic  community  in  the  western 
half  of  Monroe  County,  the  Bankers  or  old  German  Baptists 
nea'  Cuba  in  Mantua  and  Pleasant  townships,  the  Methodists 
in  the  upper  half  of  Blulf  Creek  Township,  and  the  Presby- 
terians in  Pleasant  and  a  part  of  Bluff  Creek  townships. 

An  incident  of  early  times  will  serve  to  illustrate  the 
colonizing  methods  of  the  "Seceders."  Old  Billy  Piper  lived 
on  a  claim  in  the  Snodgrass  neighborhood.  The  farm  is  now 
owned  by  Mr.  Lathan.  Piper  was  not  a  "Seceder"  by  any 
means,  but  Jesse  Snodgrass  and  his  surrounding  neighbors 
were.  It  w-as,  of  course,  desirable  on  the  part  of  the  "Seced- 
ers"  to  locate  settlers  in  their  midst  wiio  were  of  the  same 
religious  persuasion  as  themselves.  One  day  Jesse  Snod- 
grass brought  into  the  neighborhood  a  man  from  Ohio,  The 
man  was  a  "Seceder,"  and  hence  was  a  very  desirable  man  to 
locate.  Old  Billy  Piper  was  grubbing  near  the  roadside 
when  Mr.  Snodgrass  rode  up  with  his  man.  After  a  friendly 
salutation  and  introduction  of  the  two  strangers,  Mr.  Snod- 
grass thus  opened  negotiations  for  the  purchase  of  the  claim 
in  behalf  of  his  man:  "Would  ye  sell  yer  claim,  Misther 
Piper?  Sure  an'  ye  are  a  foine  mon,  an'  a  gude  neighbor, 
but  ye  are  not  the  kind  of  a  mon  we  want  wi'  us,  an'  we  would 
loike  til  git  rid  of  yes."  This  very  frank  admission  greatly 
incensed  the  old  unregenerate  anti-"Seceder."  and,  seizing 
a  fence-stake,  he  made  after  the  offending  neighbor,  who  beat 
a  hasty  retreat,  leaving  his  horse  behind,  hitched  to  the  fence. 


252  HISTORY  OF  AWNROE  COUNTT,  IOWA. 

They  are  a  sturdy  race,  those  old  ^^Seceders,"  and  their 
uaiues  are  linked  with  the  birth,  growth,  and  exalted  man- 
hood of  the  county.  Some  of  their  tenets  seem  a  trifle  at 
variance  with  the  popular  ideas  of  the  nineteenth  century 
concerning  fraternal  union,  but  it  is  a  fact  that  there  are 
remarkably  few  ''goats"  in  their  flock  to  be  finally  separated 
by  the  Master  of  the  Sheep-fold.  While  their  church  does 
not  keep  pace  with  some  of  the  others  in  growth  and  popular- 
ity, it  is  a  good  church  to  join,  for  those  who  merely  desire  to 
get  to  heaven,  because  they  are  all  going  to  get  there.  This, 
of  course,  applies  as  well  to  the  United  Presbyterians  and 
other  strains. 

They  are  instructed  in  piety  from  infancy,  and  their 
nursery  songs  are  the  lullaby  of  the  Psalms,  They  speak  of 
the  seventh  day  as  the  "Sabbath"  instead  of  saying  "Sunday." 
They  discountenance  the  singing  of  hymns  in  public  wor- 
ship on  the  ground  that  they  are  of  human  construction, 
and  not  inspired.  They  do  not  encourage  the  attendance  of 
their  members  at  other  churches,  and  advocate  non-com- 
munion. They  adhere  to  old  land-marks,  which,  while  they 
may  forbid  the  pilgrim  to  cut  across  lots  in  his  Christian  pil- 
grimage, or  to  depart  into  shady  by-paths  which  even  may 
again  emerge  into  the  highway,  make  the  way  certain. 

In  wading  the  Jordan  of  Christian  experience  and 
eai'thly  stewardship,  he  treads  on  no  stepping-stones  save 
those  which  have  been  worn  smooth  by  the  foot-prints  of  his 
ancestors  and  those  mentioned  in  the  "field-notes"  of  the 
"Westminster  Confession."  He  does  not  risk  his  footing  on 
those  newly  added  stepping-stones  of  other  denominations, 
lest  they  rock  or  totter  on  their  bases.  He  even  lifts  his 
garments  while  passing  over  them.  His  honesty,  too,  is  as 
immutable  and  rock-ribbed  as  his  faith,  for  who  ever  heard 
of  a  "Seceder"  in  good  standing  in  his  church  neglecting  to 
pay  his  debts?  His  daily  acts  are  under  the  scrutinizing 
espionage  of  the  session  board,  and  the  least  irregularity 
means  suspension. 

Membership  in  the  church  is  measured  by  the  ratio  of 
birth  and  mortality  of  the  members,  for  no  proselytes  from 
other  religious  bodies  ever  join  the  Associate  Presbyterian 
Church,  and  none  of  those  to  whom  the  doctrine  lias  been 
transmitted  by  heredity  ever  leave  it. 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA.  253 

Pleasant  Township  was  the  cra<lU;  uf  tlic  wliite  race 
in  Monroe  County,  and  no  sooner  liad  the  si'tth'rs  arrived 
than  the}'  framed  a  church  organization.  Among  the 
charter  members  of  this  organization  at  IMeasant  Divide 
were  Geo.  Ilumplirey,  I\obt.  M.  Hartncss,  \Vm.  II.  McBride, 
John  Wallvor,  and  the  Sj^nodgrasses.  Achcsons.  Andersons, 
lUichanans,  McDonalds,  Vances,  and  Porters. 

At  a  meeting  of  the  session  board  of  December  4,  1847, 
convened  at  the  house  of  John  Walker,  William  McBride 
was  chosen  chairman;  he  was  also  elected  collector  and 
treasurer,  and  a  trustee  as  well.  John  Walker  and  John 
Acheson  were  also  elected  trustees.  At  this  meeting  it 
was  ordered  that  a  suitable  book  be  ])urchased  for  the  use 
of  the  treasurer  of  the  congregation,  and  following  is  a 
copy  of  the  treasurer's  report : 

"There  was  50  cents  put  into  my  hands  for  purchasing 
said  book.  Said  book  was  j)urchased  at  the  sum  of  37i 
cents.     Balance  due.  12^,  cents. 

(Signed)     ''Wm.  H.  McBride, 

"Treasurer." 

Then  follows  a  statement  of 

"Monny  paid  over  to  Mr.  Scot  by  the  following  persons: 

Jessv  Snodgrass |3  25 

John  Walker 2  00 

Wm.  H.  McBride 0  75 

Geo.  Anderson 2  00 

Wm.  McBride 2  00 

Total flO  00 

"Do.  to  Mr.  Scot: 

Wm.  McBride Ij?!  00 

John  Walker 1  00 

Geo.  Anderson 1  00 

Jessy  Snodgrass 1  (K) 

John  Acheson 50 

Wm.  II.  McBride 50 

Total $5  00 


254  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

**Paid  monny  to  Mr.  Linsy  by  following  names,  to-wit: 

Wm.  McBride |1  00 

Robt.  M.  Hartness 1  00 

John  Walker 1  00 

Geo.  Anderson 1  00 

J.  C.  Acheson 50 

John  Acheson 50 

Alex.  McDonald 50 

Wm.  H.  McBride 50 

Gus  Omphrey 50 

Jesse  Snodgrass 1  00 

Total |7  50" 

Another  financial  report,  dated  October  9,  1847,  reads: 
"Ileceaved  25  cents  from  the  following  persons : 

Mr.  Darter |0  25 

Alex.  McDonald 50 

J.  C,  Acheson 50 

Geo.  Anderson 1  00 

Mathew  Acheson 50 

Wm.  McBride 100 

Misses  Alison 50 

Wm.  H.  McBride 50 

Sam'l  Buchanan 50 

John  Walker 1  00 

Jessa  Snodgrass 1  00 

Paid  over  to  Mr.  McDoewl |7  25" 

Rev.  D.  Linsey  preached  for  the  congregation  during 
its  earlier  organization,  and  then  Rev.  John  Vance  acted  as 
pastor  until  1857,  when  Rev.  Samuel  Hindman  took  charge. 
At  this  time  a  proposition  was  made  to  unite  with  another 
branch  of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  called  the  Union  or 
Associate  Reform.  The  Associate  Reform  Church  was 
divided  on  the  proposition,  and  at  a  meeting  of  the  session 
on  September  20,  1856,  a  motion  was  adopted  to  oppose  the 
contemplated  union. 

In  1858,  when  the  consolidation  was  effected,  the 
Pleasant  Divide  Church  did  not  enter  into  the  union,  and 
has  retained  its  original  organization  to  the  present  day. 
The  congregation  held  worship  at  their  church,  which  was 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA.  255 

built  in  1850.  It  occupied  the  site  of  their  present  church, 
which  stands  near  Heni-v  Elder's. 

In  1887  the  old  church  was  replaced  by  the  new  one, 
which  cost  over  |;},000.  ^Vhen  the  church  was  completed, 
a  motion  was  introduced  and  adopted  in  a  church  session, 
February  1,  1854,  directing  that  a  rail  fence  be  put  around 
the  graveyard,  and  that  each  family  in  the  church  furnish 
20  rails  with  which  to  build  the  fence. 

The  Associate  Presbyterians  in  those  days  had  a  very 
methodical  way  of  raising  church  revenues  and  colled  ing 
arrears.  Upon  each  member  a  tax  was  levied,  and  the  levy 
was  based  on  the  valuation  of  his  property.  The  amount 
had  to  be  forthcoming,  but  the  debtor  was  often  allowed 
to  postpone  payment  until  "money  came  into  his  hands." 
He  was  required  to  give  his  note,  however,  for  the  amount. 
Money  was  also  raised  by  charging  the  member  a  ''stipend" 
for  a  seat  in  the  church.  If  he  failed  to  pay  the  "stipend," 
the  seat  was  sold  to  someone  else.  In  1857  it  appears  from 
the  records  that  Messrs.  John  Castle,  Sr..  Wm.  McBride,  and 
Henry  Elder  were  appointed  to  assist  the  trustees  in 
levying  a  tax  for  funds  to  pay  the  pastor. 

This  plan  of  raising  church  revenues  was  a  good  one. 
and  might  be  adopted  at  the  ])resent  day,  with  happy  results. 
If  the  notes  were  not  paid,  the  next  step  was  to  enter  suit 
in  the  courts;  but  this  last  resort  was  seldom  or  never 
necessary. 

When  the  two  churches  united  in  1858,  a  dispute  arose 
over  the  ownership  of  the  Pleasant  Divide  church  edifice. 
The  case  went  into  the  courts,  and  it  was  decided  that  it 
belonged  to  the  United  Presbyterian  body.  The  Associate 
body  then  bought  it  from  the  former. 

Kev.  Hindman  continued  lo  yireach  at  Pleasant  Divide 
until  about  the  year  1801,  when  Pev.  Jas.  Sliear(»r  took 
charge  and  preached  unlil  187*5.  wben  he  ceased  his  clei-ical 
labors,  and  for  a  year  or  two  1h<^  jiulpit  was  "supplied"  by 
the  presbytery.  Rev.  Jas.  N.  Snodgrass  rendered  efficient 
service  as  one  of  these  "sup]dies." 

In  1877  Pev.  H.  S.  Acheson  a^snmed  charjre  of  the 
society,  and  is  the  present  pa-^tor.  Tlie  organization  has  a 
membership  of  abont  75. 

On  October  21.  1880.  an  anxiliarv  bi-ancli  of  the  church 
was  established  at  .\lbia.  wilh  .John  Lathan  and  .John 
Patton  as  elders,  and  Rev.  Wm.  Poj-icr  as  pastor.     He  still 


256  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

has  charge  of  the  congregation.  The  membership  at 
present  comprises  35  persons,  and  among  the  charter  mem- 
bers were  Rev.  Wm.  Porter  and  wife,  John  Lathan  and  wife, 
C.  C.  Acheson  and  wife,  Wm.  Castle  and  wife,  Ed  I.  Ramsay 
and  wife,  James  Garrett  and  wife,  H.  J.  Bell  and  wife. 
Dr.  F.  C.  Maughlin  and  wife,  John  Castle  and  wife,  Mrs. 
Spencer,  Jas.  Hammond  and  wife,  Mrs.  «Tane  Nichol,  and 
Wm.  J.  McKissick  and  wife. 

In  early  times  the  "Seceders"  of  Pleasant  Township 
and  the  fellows  of  the  ''Hairy  Nation"  did  not  get  along 
very  amicably  together.  Their  hostility  during  the  period 
when  the  ''Club  law"  was  a  regulating  factor  in  the 
community  was  somewhat  similar  to  the  warfare  between 
the  early  Puritan  fathers  and  the  aborigines  of  Plymouth. 
Old  Henry  Elder  might  be  characterized  as  the  terrible 
fighting  deacon  of  Plymouth,  Miles  Standish,  and  old 
Laurel  Tyrrell,  on  the  part  of  the  "Hairy  Nation,"  as  the 
fierce  Wattawamet;  but,  as  was  the  fate  of  the  red  man, 
Tyrrell's  head  was  never  hung  up  on  the  ridge-pole  of  the 
church  as  a  warning  to  the  braves  of  the  "Hairy  Nation." 
"And,  as  a  trophy  of  war,  the  head  of  the  brave  Wattawamet 
Scowled  from  the  roof  of  the  fort,  which  at  once  was  a  church  and  a 

fortress." 

At  the  time  of  the  "Club"  regulations,  the  homestead 
law  had  not  yet  been  enacted.  A  settler  could  preempt 
from  the  Government  by  paying  |1.25  per  acre  for  160 
acres  of  the  domain,  or  Mexican  land  warrants  ranged  from 
one  dollar  per  acre  down  as  low  as  fifty  cents  per  acre. 

Under  a  preemption  law  of  that  day,  a  settler  could  hold 
a  quarter-section  a  year  before  being  required  to  pay  out  on 
it.  At  the  end  of  the  year  the  occupant  of  the  claim  was 
usually  poorer  than  he  was  at  the  beginning.  He  could  not 
get  away,  and  about  all  he  could  do  was  to  arrange  some  plan 
in  concert  with  his  neighbors  by  which  he  could  hold  on  to 
the  land  by  virtue  O'f  the  rights  of  "squatter  sovereignity," 
It  was  to  protect  him  thus  that  the  "Club"  was  called  into 
existence,  as  we  have  stated  elsewhere  in  this  volume.  As 
the  "squatter's"  claims  were  not  based  on  any  legal  rights 
conferred  by  the  statutes,  the  "Seceder"  colonists  did  not 
recognize  the  sanctity  of  the  regulations  adopted  and  en- 
forced by  the  "Club"  organization.  If  they  found  a  tract  of 
land  on  the  plat  at  the  land  office  marked  by  a  "V,"  which 
designated  it  as  vacant,  though  in  reality  a  "squatter"  occu- 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY.  IOWA.  257 

pied  it  through  the  support  of  the  "Club,"  they  felt  little 
hesitancy,  in  niauA*  instances,  in  preemjtting  it  or  "jumping" 
the  claim.  As  they  did  not  believe  in  secret  societies,  they 
seemed  to  place  the  "Club"  organization  in  the  same  category 
of  evils,  and  for  that  reason,  doubtless,  they  did  not  enter 
into  the  organization.  The  "Hairy  Nation"  looketl  upon 
them  with  suspicion  anyway,  for,  as  Jas.  Coen  says  in  his  in- 
teresting "Sketches  of  Early  Times,"  they  had  many  strange 
customs.  They  were  very  industrious,  cultivated  large  fields, 
rode  in  painted  wagons,  used  horses  instead  of  oxen,  and 
worked  six  days  in  the  week.  They  did  not  even  fight  as  a 
recreation,  and  would  not  drink  whisk}'  at  Harrow's  grocery 
on  Saturday  afternoons. 

Mr.  Coen  states  further,  that  when  they  built  a  school- 
house  at  Half-way  Prairie,  and  fitted  up  a  stove  in  it  instead 
of  a  fireplace,  this  innovation  met  the  further  disapprobation 
of  the  "Hairy  Nation."  and  when  they  began  to  build  a 
church,  it  was  considered  an  overt  declaration  of  war.  For 
Avhat  purpose  could  they  need  a  church,  unless  to  be  used  as 
a  fort?  The  pulpit  was  evidently  designed  as  a  sally-port 
from  which  the  besieged  might  emerge  in  a  final  encounter, 
after  the  stronghold  had  been  inv(^st(Hl. 

At  length  these  strained  relations  culminated  in  an  open 
rnptur«'.  A  man  named  Geo.  P.  Little  entered  a  forty-acre 
"claim"  on  Miller's  Creek.  Little  was  a  "Seceder,"  and  a 
"scjuatter"  claimed  the  tract.  The  "C'lub,"  of  course,  pro- 
tested vigorously,  but  Little  paid  no  attention  to  their 
threats.  One  day,  in  midwinter,  he  borrowed  a  horse  from 
James  Carhart  and  rode  to  Albia,  armed  with  an  old  "pepper- 
box"' pistol.  That  very  day  the  "Club''  had  nu't  to  take  final 
action  in  his  cas<\  On  his  return  fi'om  Albia  the  "Club" 
discovei-ed  him  and  gave  chase.  Little  took  the  Kddyvilh* 
ti-ail,  with  about  twenty  of  the  mob  in  hot  pursuit.  Th(»  pur- 
suers gnined  on  him.  and  finally  one  of  them  caught  up  with 
him  and  attemjtted  to  seize  his  horse's  l)ridle.  Little  held 
his  revolver  in  his  hand,  cocked,  and  ready  for  any  acts  of 
violence,  but  as  the  ]Mirsuer  reached  the  bridle  his  horse 
stumbled,  and  the  fall  dischai'ged  his  pistol.  The  pursuer 
then  kej»t  his  distance,  thinking  the  shut  had  been  aimed  pur 
|>osely  at  himself.  Lit  lie  gained  the  house  of  Carhai-t,  and 
then  t<)ok  refuge  in  the  house  of  Henry  Elder,  hotly  pursued 
by  the  mob. 

The  m;Mi  who  h;id  i-inuhl   n|»  willi  i.illh'  was  his  friemi 
17 


258  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY.  IOWA. 

Andy  Robb.  He  was  endeavoring  to  assist  in  Little's  escape. 
He  soon  arrived  at  Elder's  and,  seizing  a  sled-standard,  saun- 
tered out  into  the  road  among  the  mob,  charged  them  right 
and  left,  threatening  the  entire  crowd  with  destruction  if 
they  did  not  retire.  They  retired,  and  a  few  days  later  the 
"Club"  met  and  resolved  to  exterminate  the  "Seceders,"  wipe 
them  off  the  face  of  the  earth,  and  raze  their  church  to  the 
ground. 

Zed  Chedister  went  to  Mr.  Tucker's  to  borrow  his  gun. 
He  stated  that  he  wanted  to  kill  "Seceders"  with  it.  He  did 
not  get  the  gun,  and  his  pleasant  anticipations  of  killing 
"Seceders"  were  never  realized. 

Further  commenting  on  these  disturbances,  Mr.  Coen 
says  in  his  "Sketches  of  Early  Times" : 

''A  meeting  of  the  'Club'  was  held  a  few  days  later,  when 
war  was  declared  and  it  was  ordered  to  raise  the  'Nation' 
and  wipe  out  the  'Seceders,'  and  to  begin  by  burning  their 
church,  fixing  a  time  for  the  bonfire.  Runners  were  dis- 
patched to  call  out  the  chiefs  and  braves  of  the  "Hairy  Na- 
tion,' 'Bull-frog  Nation,'  'Hell-string  Nation,'  and  all  the 
friendl}'  tribes.,  with  their  arms,  ammunition,  and  plenty  of 
'snake-bite'  medicine.  The  war-whoop  was  sounded  through- 
oat  the  land.  The  gathering  of  the  invading  forces  con- 
tinued until  the  evening  of  the  appointed  day,  when  they  took 
up  their  line  of  march  for  the  'Seceder'  church. 

'•Meanwhile,  news  from  the  war-dance  had  reached  the 
'Seceders,'  who,  disdaining  to  sue  for  peace,  took  up  the 
hatchet  and  prepared  for  the  impending  conflict.  Messen- 
gers were  sent  from  house  to  house. 

'•  'And  there  was  huiTying  to  and  fro, 
And  gathering  tears,  and  tremblings  in  distress, 
And  cheeks  all  pale,' 

as  the  steru-visaged  'Seceders'  left  their  homes  with  their 
rifles,  ammunition,  and  bullet-moulds.  Throughout»the  day, 
the  wooded  valleys  along  the  frozen  waters  of  Miller's  Creek 
and  Bluflf  Creek  and  the  landscapes  of  Half-way  Prairie  and 
North  Prairie  resounded  with  the  familiar  cry  of  their  ances- 
tors: 'Dinna  ye  hear  it?  Dinna  ye  hear  it?  Dinna  ye  hear 
the  slogan?' 

"By  the  time  they  had  gathered  at  the  church,  reen- 
forced  by  Sheriff  Ezra  P.  Coen,  and  a  squad  of  friendly  'Hell- 
strings,'  they  had  but  settled  down  to  a  comtemplation  of  the 
horrors  of  war,  when  away  over  the  prairie  towards  the 
'Bullfrog  Nation,' 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY.  IOWA.  259 

"  'Like  the  di'ead  northern  hurricane, 
That  sweeps  the  broad  plateau, 
Flushed  with  the  triumph  j'et  to  gain, 
Came  down  the  serried  foe,' 

who,  finding  the  building  occupied  by  an  unknown  quantity, 
marched  to  a  grove  near  by,  and  went  into  camp, 

"Next  day  both  armies  prepared  for  the  approaching 
conflict.  After  some  time,  in  which  some  seemed  inclined 
to  open  the  battle,  a  commissioner  was  sent  to  the  church  to 
demand  a  surrender.  They  were  invited  into  the  building, 
cjhown  the  strength  of  the  besieged,  and  informed  they  were 
ready  to  fight  it  out.  There  was  some  parley  as  to  the  causes 
of  the  war,  and  the  commissioners  returned  to  camp. 

"Some  of  the  invaders  favored  moving  on  the  enemy's 
works,  but  others  favored  further  attempts  at  diplomacy, 
and  so  some  hours  were  spent  in  conference  of  the  commis- 
sioners. The  more  warlike  of  the  belligerents  became  im- 
patient at  the  delay.  Each  party  stood  to  his  arms  and 
glared  at  each  other  across  the  prairie.  After  considerable 
negotiations,  each  party  cooled  olf,  and  some  kind  of  a 
truce  was  fixed  up  without  the  arbitrament  of  arms." 

The  Covenanters. 

The  Covenanters  are  yet  another  variety  of  Presby- 
terians. They  organized  in  Pleasant  Township  in  1860.  In 
that  year  Rev.  Neal  was  sent  as  a  "supply,"  and  preached 
until  1SG5,  when  he  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  Jas.  Love,  whose 
ministerial  labors  extended  down  into  the  '80s. 

Rev.  J.  A.  Thompson  then  preached  until  about  the  year 
1892,  when  Rev.  McBurney  assumed  charge,  and  held  the 
place  until  about  the  beginning  of  the  year  1890,  when  he  re- 
signed and  went  to  Oklahoma.  The  church  does  not  have 
any  regular  minister  at  present. 

The  Covenanters  erected  a  church  edifice  in  1871,  on  the 
Hicks  place,  just  east  of  the  "Seceder"  church. 

Like  the  "Seceders"  and  other  strains  of  Presbyterians, 
the  Covenanters  are  characteristic  for  their  sturdy  manhood 
and  thrift.  They,  too,  are  of  Scotch  origin,  and  their  faith 
is  the  same  as  it  was  in  the  days  of  Charles  the  Pretender — 
nothing  has  been  added  and  nothing  taken  from  it. 

The  distinguishing  characteristic  of  the  Covenanters' 
faith  is  that  Christ  sulTered  and  died  to  purchase  not  only 
spiritual  blessings  and  salvation,  but  that  the  great  sacrifice 
also  covers  the  temporal  welfare  of  mankind.     They  hold 


260  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY.  IOWA. 

God  has  an  ever-present  existence  in  all  things  mundane, 
and  that  therefore  human  governments  and  laws  framed 
for  the  well-being  of  society  should  be  recognized  as  deriv- 
ing their  being  through  the  direct  interposition  of  God.  They 
insist  that  God  should  be  recognized  in  the  United  States 
Constitution,  and  thej  refuse  to  vote  as  long  as  it  is  not  so 
directed.  They  hold  that  it  would  be  sacrilege  or  impious 
to  vote  under  a  constitution  infidel  in  character,  insomuch 
as  it  does  not  recognize  God, 

Some  years  ago,  while  U.  K.  Bates  was  assessing  in  Man- 
tua Township,  he  called  to  assess  the  property  of  Rev.  J.  A. 
Thompson.  Mr.  Thompson  demurred,  when  called  upon  to 
make  oath  to  his  statements,  and  refused  to  pronounce  the 
usual  clause,  "so  help  me  God."  He  wanted,  as  a  final  com- 
promise, to  abbreviate  the  phrase  by  leaving  off  the  word 
'*God."  Finally,  however,  when  he  was  told  that  the  law 
required  this  of  him,  he  acquiesced. 

Mr.  Bates  then  called  on  Rev.  Acheson,  of  the  Associate 
Reform  Church.  This  gentleman  thought  the  word  ''God" 
was  not  sufficiently  strong,  and  added  to  it  by  saving, 
''Almighty  God." 

Following  is  a  list  of  some  of  the  original  members  of  the 
Covenanter  Church,  their  names  being  all  more  or  less  well 
known  in  the  history  of  Monroe  County:  Wm.  Pressley, 
Adam  Orr,  the  Hebrew  and  Sinclair  families,  Wm.  Chisholm 
and  his  wife  and  mother,  Thos.  Nichol  and  wife.  Rev.  Jas. 
Love  and  family,  Wm.  Huston  and  family.  Jas.  Irwin  and 
family,  Jas.  Dougherty,  Joseph  Pervis,  David  Forcythe,  Sr., 
and  family,  John  Bedford  and  family,  Hugh  Hawthorn  and 
family,  the  Dunn  family,  Arthur  G.  McKeown,  Samuel  Kil- 
patrick  and  family,  and  Wm.  Allen  and  family. 

,  The  United  Presbyterians. 

The  United  Presbyterian  organization  in  Monroe 
County,  while  formed  by  a  union  of  the  Associate  Reform 
and  Associate  Presbyterian  bodies,  also  contained  a  few 
recruits  from  other  Presbyterian  societies  throughout  the 
county. 

Rev.  J.  N.  Pressley  was  the  first  pastor  of  the  new 
organization,  and  began  in  1858,  the  year  the  two  churches 
united. 

At  present  there  are  two  T^uited  Presbyterian  organi- 
zations in  Monroe  County;  one  at  Albia,  and  tlie  other  four 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY.  IOWA.  261 

miles  nortli  of  Albia,  known  as  the  Service  TTnited  Presby- 
terian ('on<2;i'e<jation. 

From  the  i'ep;ister  of  this  congregation  we  copy  an 
historical  sketch,  which,  while  a  part  of  it  may  be  but  a 
repetition  of  statements  already  recorded  concerning  the 
Associate  Reform  Presbyterian  Church,  is  a  reliable  record: 

Historical  Sketch  of  Service  I'nited  Presbyterian 

Coiiipcf/nfion. 

"The  exact  date  of  organization  is  lost.  With  a  view 
to  organization,  a  meting  was  held  at  the  house  of  Mr. 
Simeon  AVycoff,  March  10,  1S5(5.  There  were  present  at 
that  meeting  Messrs.  Wm.  Robb,  Samuel  Elder,  John  Hen- 
derson, Thos.  Wilson,  Andrew  Robb,  Samuel  Henderson, 
Samuel  Thompson,  Wm.  P.  Kendall,  and  Wm.  Richard. 
Thos.  Wilson  was  chairman  and  Samuel  Conley  was  secre- 
tary of  that  meeting.  The  meeting  made  arrangements  to 
secure  five  acres  of  land  from  Wm.  Robb,  as  a  church  site; 
and  also  decided  that  tke  church  building  should  be  of  stone. 

"This  meeting  adjourned  to  meet  at  Wm.  Robb's  March 
24,  1850.  The  same  persons  were  present,  and  in  addition 
Mr.  Thos.  Bell.  At  this  meeting,  on  motion  of  Wm.  Robb, 
it  was  decided  that  the  new  organization  should  be  called 
Service.  Wm.  Robb  and  Sam'l  Conley  were  appointed  to 
draft  a  petition  to  the  Associate  Presbytery  for  a  new 
organization. 

"This  meeting  adjourned  to  meet  April  7,  1856,  at  the 
house  of  Samuel  Conley.  Here  the  records  fail.  According 
to  some  who  took  part  in  these  proceedings,  Wm.  Robb 
carried  the  petition  for  a  new  organization  to  the  Associate 
I'resbytery,  but  did  not  secure  a  favorable  response  until 
a  subsequent  meeting. 

"The  congregation  was  organized  at  the  Half- Way 
I'rairie  school-house  by  the  Rev.  Samuel  ]lindman,  probably 
in  the  month  of  .June,  ISot).  The  elders  in  the  new  organi- 
zation were  Wm.  Robb  and  Samuel  Conley. 

"At  the  meeting  for  oiganization  Simeon  WycotT  was 
elected  an  elder.  Soon  after  he  was  ordainc*!  and  installed 
and  Joseph  liobb  installed  as  elders  in  the  congregation. 

"There  are  no  records  t)r  icgister  showing  the  growth 
of  the  congregation  from  the  time  of  its  organization  to 
the  union  of  tlie  .\ssociate  Reform  and  Associate  churches, 
Mav,  1858. 


262  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY.  IOWA. 

''An  Associate  Reform  congregation  had  been  formed 
at  the  Half-Way  Prairie  school-house  in  September,  1854, 
by  the  Rev.  Fee.  In  this  congregation  were  John  Fullerton, 
Geo.  Griffin,  R.  K.  Nelson,  and  David  Forcythe,  including 
their  families  and  others,  making  in  all  eleven  members. 
Geo.  Griffin  and  R.  K.  Nelson  were  the  elders.  The  con- 
gregation was  supplied  by  Rev.  Fee,  Rev.  Miller,  Rev.  White, 
Rev.  R.  A.  McAyeal,  and  Rev.  J.  N.  Pressley. 

"Soon  after  the  union  of  the  Associate  Reform  and 
Reformed  churches,  the  congregation  at  Service  received 
considerable  accessions  from  Half- Way  Prairie  Associate 
Reform  congregation.  There  are  no  records  to  show  that 
there  was  a  formal  union.  There  is,  however,  a  record  of 
a  united  communion  meeting  held  in  the  Campbellites' 
church,  Albia,  September  3,  1858,  by  the  Rev.  J.  N.  Pressley. 

"At  that  time  the  record  states  that  the  session  of  Albia 
consisted  of  Dr.  A.  A.  Ramsay,  Dr.  Stewart,  J.  C.  Acheson, 
and  David  Forcythe;  the  sesion  of  Service,  of  Joseph 
Robb,  Wm.  Robb,  Samuel  Conley,  Geo.  Griffin,  and  Simeon 
Wycoff;  the  session  of  Pleasant  Divide,  of  Matthew  Elder, 
Samuel  Wallace,  R.  K.  Nelson,  and  Wm.  McBride.  These 
sessions,  it  is  carefully  noted,  were  each  represented  in  the 
united  communion  service.  In  each  of  these,  it  will  be 
noticed,  there  is  an  elder  of  the  Associate  Reform  congre- 
gation. It  would  seem  then  that  almost  immediately  after 
the  union  the  Associate  Reform  congregation  was  absorbed 
by  the  three  surounding  Associate  congregations,  Service 
getting  the  largest  share. 

"The  joint  communion  seems  to  have  been  a  very  happy 
one.  Afterwards,  if  not  before,  the  Associate  Reform  and 
Associate  people,  except  those  who  still  hold  the  Pleasant 
Divide  Associate  organization,  were  completely  united. 

"Returning  now  to  Service  alone,  the  congregation  was 
without  a  settled  pastor  from  the  time  of  its  organization 
until  November  18,  1858,  when  a  call  for  half  time  was 
made  for  the  Rev.  J.  N.  Pressley;  Albia  taking  the  other 
half.  Mr.  Pressley  was  dulv  installed  some  time  between 
May  4  and  July  13,  1859. 

"On  August  25,  1859,  a  paper  was  handed  into  the 
Presbytery  of  Pleasant  Divide — being  a  part  of  Service 
congregation — asking  the  privilege  of  calling  Rev.  J.  N. 
'Pressley  a  part  of  his  time.  This  privilege  was  granted. 
This  request  probably  meant  a  division  of  Mr.  Pressley's 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY.  IOWA.  263 

time  between  Service  and  rieasant  Divide,  as  two  places 
of  preaching  in  one  congregation,  as  there  is  no  subsequent 
account  of  a  call. 

"There  is  no  definite  information  h'ft  concerning  Mr. 
Presslev's  work  in  the  congregation — its  accessions,  its 
membership,  all  unknown.  He  was  a  man  of  marked 
ability  in  the  pulpit — a  champion  defender  of  the  truth. 
He  was  called  on  several  occasions  to  take  part  in  public 
discussions,  in  which  liis  great  intellectual  ability  was 
strikingly  exhibited.  At  a  meeting  of  the  I'resbytery  at 
Kuoxville,  June  IS,  J8G2,  a  mutual  request  was  handed  in 
from  the  Kev.  J.  N.  I'ressley  and  tJie  Albia  and  Service  con- 
gregations for  a  dissolution  of  the  relation  between  them — 
the  pastor  having  been  called  to  what  was  adjudged  a  more 
important  field  of  labor.  On  motion,  it  was  resolved  that 
said  relation  be  dissolved,  but  Pressley  would  not  be  under- 
stood as  conniving  at  or  encouraging  irregularities  in  the 
dissolution  of  such  relations. 

"The  work  in  which  Mr.  Pressley  engaged  after  leaving 
this  charge  was  the  financial  agency  of  Washington  College. 
He  returned,  however,  to  the  pastoral  work  at  Grandview 
and  Harrison,  in  the  Presbytery  of  Keokuk.  He  has  now 
gone  to  his  reward.  He  dicHl  at  Grandview,  Iowa,  August 
22,  186G,  aged  56  years. 

"The  church  building  was  raised  and  enclosed  during 
Mr.  Pressley's  pastorate.  This  was  done  during  the  summer 
of  1800.  Temporary  seats  were  secur<'d  and  the  church 
remained  unfinished  and  unfurnished  until  after  the  war. 
It  was  a  period  of  hard  struggling.  The  country  was  new 
and  many  were  hard-pressed  for  means  to  make  their 
necessary  or  much  needed  improvements.  Some  who 
could  not  contribute  money  protTered  gratuitous  labor. 
This  present  church,  i)leasant,  though  not  grand,  was  the 
result. 

"The  congregation  was  vacant  until  April  l.'J,  1864, 
when  a  call,  in  connrction  with  Albia,  was  sent  to  the 
presbytery,  addressed  to  Mr.  J.  P.  Black,  a  licentiate  under 
the  Presbytery  of  Mansfield.  At  this  meeting  Mr.  Black 
was  present,  and  was  received  iinder  the  care  of  the  j)resby- 
terial  certificate  from  the  Presbytery  of  Mansfield.  The 
call  from  An)ia  and  Service  was  presented;  Mr.  Black  a.*?ked 
a  day.  On  the  next  day,  April  14,  1864,  he  signified  his 
acceptance,  and  trials  were  assigned  for  ordination.     At  a 


264  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY.  IOWA. 

meeting  of  the  presbytery  June  15,  1864,  Mr.  Black,  having 
delivered  satisfactory  trial  discourses,  was  ordained  and 
installed  as  pastor. 

"There  are  no  records  giving  special  information  con- 
cerning Mr.  Black's  work  in  this  congregation.  Upon  the 
general  testimony  of  the  people,  it  may  be  said  that  Mr. 
Black  was  a  faithful  pastor.  As  a  preacher,  though 
retiring,  perhaps  to  a  fault,  he  was  a  man  of  considerable 
ability.  His  backward,  retiring  disposition  probably 
hindered  somewhat  in  his  work. 

''At  a  meeiing  of  the  presbytery  August  31,  1865,  he 
offered  his  resignation  o'i  the  pastorate  of  Service  and  Albia, 
assigning  as  his  reasons:  'Lack  of  interest  in  the  cause  and 
a  failure  on  the  part  of  prominent  elders  and  members  to 
perform  their  duties."  At  a  meeting  of  the  presbytery  at 
Service  Church  October  5,  1865,  Dr.  A.  A.  Ramsay,  Joseph 
Robb,  and  Wm.  Rambo  appeared  as  commissioners  of  the 
congregations,  and  reported  'that  it  had  been  decided  to 
acquiesce  in  the  pastor's  request.'  On  motion,  Mr.  Black 
was  released.  Mr.  Black  is  still  engaged  in  ministerial 
work,  but  has  not  since  been  pastor  of  a  congregation. 

"Again  the  congregation  was  vacant,  until  April  11, 
1866,  when  a  united  call  from  Service  and  Albia,  addressed 
to  Mr,  John  Hadden,  a  licentiate  under  the  inspection  of 
the  Presbytery  of  Muskingum,  was  handed  in  to  the  presby- 
tery at  a  meeting  at  Somerset.  Mr.  Hadden,  being  present, 
was  received  with  the  understanding  'that  he  should  procure 
and  hand  in  a  certificate,  in  due  time.'  The  call,  being  put 
into  his  hands,  was  by  him  accepted. 

"At  a  meeting  of  the  presbytery  at  Service  Church, 
June  19,  1866,  Mr.  Hadden  presented  satisfactory  trial 
discourses  and  was  ordained  and  installed  as  pastor. 
During  Mr.  Hadden's  pastorate  no  church  register  showing 
details  of  his  church  work  was  kept. 

"At  a  meeting  of  the  prebytery  at  Somerset,  April  21, 
1869,  the  union  of  Albia  and  Service  was  dissolved  and  the 
whole  of  Mr.  Hadden's  time  given  to  Albia.  He  continued 
his  labors  in  Albia  until  his  death,  which  occurred  August 
25,  1872,  His  age  was  34  years.  He  graduated  at  Muskin- 
gum College  in  June,  1862,  and  at  Alleghany  Theological 
Seminary  in  the  spring  of  1865.  He  was  a  successful  pastor, 
both  at  Service  and  Albia.  His  social  qualities  contributed 
largely  to  his  success.     He  maintained  the  most  agreeable 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA.  265 

relations  with,  all  his  brethren  in  llie  ministry — was  on 
good  terms  with  all,  and  intimate  with  many,  llis  (imilitics 
of  heart  endeared  him  to  his  brethren,  not  only  of  his  own, 
bnt  also  of  other  denominations,  lie  hail  a  liappy  combina- 
tion of  social  and  moral  powers,  which  made  him  a  most 
excellent,  agreeable,  and  usefnl  man. 

**Vour  present  pastor  Ciime  here  as  snpply  in  the  early 
part  of  1809.  Your  call  addressed  to  him  was  handed  in 
to  the  presbytery,  presented,  and  accepted  November  10, 
1800.  Since  he  came  to  the  congregation,  the  register 
shows  111  persons  that  have  been  taken  into  membership. 
59  on  profession  and  52  on  certificate,  though  the  mem- 
bership before  was  probably  100.  With  all  these  apparently 
encouraging  accessions,  the  decrease  by  removal,  death,  and 
discipline  has  been  so  large  tlmt  the  membership  of  the 
congregation  at  present  is  only  about  113." 

The  foregoing  sketch  was  written  by  Eev.  S.  C.  Marshall. 
The  next  to  succeed  him  was  Rev,  John  Pattison,  who  as- 
sumed the  pastorate  in  the  'TOs.  Rev.  Boyd  assumed  charge 
about  the  year  1883  or  1884,  and  was  succeeded  by  Rev. 
McKernon,  who  had  charge  of  the  congregation  until  18!>5, 
when  he  resigned  his  pastorate. 

The  Service  pulpit,  at  present,  is  tilled  by  Rev.  Knipe. 

At  the  present  time,  the  Albia  congregation  is  without  a 
preacher. 

The  Cumberland  Frcsbj/terians. 

This  variety  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  is  at  present 
without  an  organization  in  Monroe  County. 

In  about  the  year  1870  there  was  an  organization  in 
Monroe  Township  of  30  or  40  members.  The  first 
minister  in  charge  was  Rev.  Wheelis,  with  whom  was 
associated  Rev.  Wallace, 

Tn  1872  Rev.  Smith  McCall  preached  for  a  year,  an<l 
was  succeeded  in  1874  by  Rev.  Hewitt. 

The  organizatiou  then  died  out;  the  members  going 
into  other  churches. 

Among  the  members  were  Mr.  and  ^Irs.  .las.  Knix,  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Hlakely  Dinwiddle,  and  I'^Iias  Combs  and  wife. 

The  Christidu  i'hunh. 

In  the  year  1847  Isaac  Watson  and  old  "Uncle  .Johnnie" 
Mock,  two  of  the  pioneers   of  this   county,   drove   up   to 


266  BISTORT  OF  MONROE  COUNTY.  IOWA. 

Marion  County,  where  Rev.  Aaron  Chatterton,  a  Christian 
or  Campbellite  minister,  was  holding  a  revival  meeting,  and 
on  their  return,  brought  the  minister  back  with  them.  He 
began  a  series  of  meetings  in  the  old  school-house  in  Albia, 
and  also  preached  occasionally  at  the  home  of  "Old  Jimmie" 
Robinson,  four  miles  south  of  Albia. 

A  church  was  soon  organized,  containing  among  its 
charter  members:  John  Mock,  Mrs.  Margaret  Mock,  his 
mother,  Mrs.  Zerelda  Watson,  Mrs.  Margaret  Hollingshead, 
"Old  Jimmie"  Robinson  and  wife,  Peter  Robinson,  Miss 
Eveline  Robinson,  Robt.  E.  Robinson,  Miss  Angeline  Robin- 
son, Miss  Cornelia  Robinson,  Miss  Zerelda  Robinson,  Miss 
Martha  Robinson,  and  Miss  Helen  Robinson. 

Chatterton  did  not  confine  his  labors  to  Monroe  County 
exclusively,  but  the  next  year  Elder  Joseph  Caldwell  as- 
sumed the  pastorate  of  the  newly  organized  church.  He 
resided  a  few  miles  southeast  of  Albia,  and  drove  in  every 
Sunday  to  preach. 

In  1851  Elder  Mott  took  charge  of  the  church,  and 
remained  about  a  year;  and  in  1856  he  was  succeeded  by 
Elder  Reuben  Garriott,  the  father  of  Mrs.  David  Ireland, 
of  Albia. 

In  about  the  year  1863  Elder  Amos  Buchanan  assumed 
the  pastorate  and  preached  until  1867. 

In  1868  a  young  infidel  or  Universalist  school-teacher 
named  Free  Waldron,  hearing  the  quite  noted  theological 
debate  between  Elder  Chatterton,  of  the  Christian  Church, 
and  Rev.  Frank  Evans,  the  little  oratorical  giant  of  the 
Methodist  persuasion,  became  converted  to  the  church 
represented  by  Mr.  Chatterton,  and  in  the  same  year  began 
to  preach.  He  preached  for  seven  years,  and  built  up  the 
organization  into  a  church  of  considerable  influence  and 
popularity.  He  was  a  fine  singer,  and  a  gentleman  of  more 
than  ordinary  clerical  ability.  He  had  the  faculty  of  in- 
fusing spiritual  life  into  his  church,  and  while  his  popularity 
was  at  its  zenith  the  church  enjoyed  a  phenomenal  growth. 

At  this  time  an  episode  occurred  which  completely 
crushed  the  minister  in  the  locality,  and  for  a  time  disrupted 
the  church.  A  Miss  Fanny  Arnold,  a  young  lady  of  one  of 
the  best  families  in  the  county,  who  made  her  home  in  the 
family  of  Mr.  Waldron,  made  public  certain  allegations 
against  the  minister  which  gravely  impugned  his  Christian 
character.     A  church  trial  was  conducted  at  the  residence 


HISTORY  OK  MONROE  COUNTY.  IOWA.  267 

of  Isaac  Watson,  and  tlie  charges  investigated.  The  allega- 
tions made  by  the  young  lady  did  not  accuse  the  elder  with 
the  commission  of  acts  of  immorality,  but  with  conduct 
frivolous  and  unbecoming  a  minister  of  the  gospel.  Among 
the  charges  was  one  that  the  minister  insisted  on  her  sitting 
on  his  lap  while  milking  the  cow,  and  other  festive  mani- 
festations. Most  of  the  members  of  the  flock  did  not 
believe  the  charge,  but  some  of  those  who  did  withdrew 
from  the  church,  and  JNlr.  Vincent  Heed,  who  had  been 
one  of  the  most  active  members,  went  so  far  in  his  denuncia- 
tion of  his  pastor  as  to  publish  a  pamphlet  setting  forth 
the  alleged  sins  of  the  elder,  it  is  said  this  pamphlet  was 
mailed  to  every  locality  where  Mr.  Waldron  was  retained 
in  ministerial  work.  Mr.  Waldron  is  now  in  Missouri,  and 
is  still  an  efficient  and  zealous  minister  of  the  gospel. 

In  1875  Elder  J.  B.  Vaughter  came  to  Albia  and  set  to 
work  earnestly  to  get  the  organization  on  its  feet  again. 
Two  years  previous  Elder  Waldron  had  entered  negotiations 
with  the  Baptist  brethren  for  a  swap  of  church  buildings, 
and  with  the  cooperation  of  Elder  Vaughter  the  trade  was 
completed.  The  Baptists  owned  the  edilice  from  which  the 
present  Christian  Church  building  was  remodeled.  The 
Christians  owned  the  building  in  the  Fourth  Ward  now 
owned  by  the  United  Presbyterians.  It  was  rather  small 
for  them.  The  Baptist  organization  was  meager,  and  there 
was  an  incumbrance  of  four  or  five  hundred  dollars  on  the 
church.  The  two  churches  traded  edifices,  and  the  Chris- 
tians assumed  and  paid  off  the  indebtedness.  The  church 
then  made  some  extensive  improvements  in  the  building; 
towers  were  added,  and  a  wing  built  on,  under  Brokaw's 
pastorate. 

When  the  first  edifice  was  erected,  in  the  early  'GOs, 
Willis  Arnold  donated  the  lot,  and  also  donated  labor  in 
erecting  the  building.  The  carpenter  work  was  mostly 
donated  free,  by  members  of  the  churclu 

Vaughter  preached  a  year,  and  was  succeeded  by  Elder 
Allan  Hickey,  in  1870.     He  preached  three  years. 

Elder  E.  J.  Stanley  then  had  charge  for  one  year,  and 
the  next  year  Elder  Orange  Iliggins  tilled  the  Albia  pulpit. 

In  1881  Elder  J.  K.  Cornell  was  employed,  and  in  18&i 
was  succeeded  by  Elder  Edward  O.  Sharji.  who  preached 
for  one  year. 

In  1884  Elder  J.  H.  Kagan  assumed  the  pastorate,  and 
held  it  for  three  years. 


268  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

G.  L,  Brokaw  came  in  in  1889,  and  remained  two  years. 

Elder  E.  A.  Martin  succeeded  him  in  1891,  and  preached 
one  year.  In  1892  Elder  Harold  Monser  took  charge,  and 
preached  for  one  and  one-half  years. 

In  1893  Elder  W.  J.  Hastie,  the  present  incumbent,  was 
employed. 

Nearly  all  of  the  gentlemen  named  possessed  a  high 
standard  of  pulpit  eloquence.  Buchanan,  it  is  said,  was  a 
reniarkablA'  eloquent  divine,  and  was  greatly  loved  by  his 
flock.  Edward  O.  Sharpe  was  known  as  "the  boy  preacher." 
He  was  still  under  age  when  he  occupied  the  Albia  pulpit, 
yet  was  a  youth  of  remarkable  eloquence.  Rev.  Monser 
was  also  a  fine  orator  and  logician,  and  perhaps  outranked 
all  others  in  elegance  of  delivery. 

Besides  the  foregoing  list  of  pastors  in  charge,  there 
were  several  evangelists,  who  preached  throughout  the 
county  from  time  to  time,  conducting  revival  meetings.  The 
first  revival  meeting  was  conducted  by  Chatterton;  then  in 
March,  18G8,  Elder  Hobbs,  of  Des  Moines,  held  a  meeting  of 
remarkable  success  in  Albia.  Elder  N.  E.  Cory  and  Prof.  G. 
T.  Carpenter  also  preached  in  Albia  at  intervals. 

There  is  also  an  organization  near  Avery  under  the  pas- 
torate of  Elder  Aaron  Pearson,  who  holds  several  other 
appointments  throughout  the  county  in  addition. 

For  many  years  the  Christian  Church  has  maintained  an 
organization  both  in  Monroe  and  Urbana  townships.  At 
Selection  some  members  of  the  Christian  Church  contributed 
towards  the  erection  of  the  United  Brethren  church  of  that 
phace,  in  1888  or  1890,  hoping  to  hear  an  occasional  sermon 
by  preachers  of  their  own  denomination.  It  was  agreed  that 
the  Christian  denomination  should  have  access  whenever 
the  pul]>it  was  not  occupied  by  the  United  Brethren  minister, 
a  small  rental  being  levied  on  them  by  the  United  Brethren 
organization  for  Ihe  purpose  of  keeping  up  repairs,  provid- 
ing illumination,  fuel,  and  other  incidental  expenses. 

In  about  the  year  1890  the  Christian  organization  in 
Urbana  Township  erected  a  neat  frame  church  building, 
near  the  Center  school-house,  at  a  cost  of  |1,075.  The  organi- 
zation has  no  preacher  at  present,  but  Rev.  Pearson  preached 
for  them  until  about  tlie  year  1895.  Among  those  who  were 
active  in  the  building  of  the  church  at  that  place,  and  who 
are  members  of  the  organization,  are  Mrs,  Elizabeth  Forster, 
Mrs.  Braden  and  daughter  Alta,  Mr.  Wheatly  Forster  and 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY.  IOWA.  269 

wife,  William  Smith,  Irviii  Smith  and  wife,  Wm.  Kobinson, 
Jephtha  Kobinson,  Geo.  U.  Kobinson  and  wife,  Mrs.  lliram 
Lonj;,  David  Malion  and  wife,  Mrs.  Chas.  Milk'i-,  Niiiirod 
Martin,  Geo.  Shaw  and  wife,  Warner  Sliaw  and  wife.  Dr.  C. 
N.  Udell,  of  Blakcsbur?::,  David  .lav,  l>ani('l  Williams  and 
wife.  If.  D.  Carroll  and  wife,  and  Mrs.  Fannie  Carpenter. 

There  is  also  a  small  following  of  the  church  on  Soap 
Creek,  under  the  pastoral  care  of  Kev.  Moses  Lockman. 

Besides  the  regular  elders  in  charge  at  Albia,  there 
have  been  several  ministers  engaged  in  the  outlying  appoint- 
ments. Among  these  were  Kev.  Ades,  who  preached  at  vari- 
ous places  within  the  county  from  1887  to  1890.  Also  Kev. 
McCray,  a  young  student  of  Drake  I^niversity,  who  filled  the 
country  pulpits  a  short  time  after  Ades. 

In  1889  an  organization  was  made  in  Bluff  Creek  Town- 
ship, east  of  Lovilia,  known  as  the  Osburn  appointment. 
They  have  a  church  edifice,  and  the  membership  is  about  35. 

In  the  early  '70s  a  union  clia])el  was  Ituilt  in  ITrbana 
Township,  near  the  Wapello  county  line  and  south  of  Ulakes- 
burg,  in  theJay neighborhood.  Elder  Peaison  preached  three 
years,  beginning  in  1891.  at  which  time  he  organized  the 
church  with  a  membership  of  about  45.  The  organization 
contained  the  following  officers:  Herman  Snow  and  Noah 
Smith,  deacons;  David  Jay  and  E.  E.  Thayer,  deacons;  and 
;Mrs.  Candace  Jay,  clerk.  A  handsome  church  has  lately 
bt^M?n  built  on  the  site  of  the  old  "Jay  Chapel"  at  a  cost  of 
about  11,300.     It  is  28x40  feet  in  dimensions. 

In  1895  Elder  C.  L.  WalktM-,  of  Batavia,  preached  at  the 
union  chapel. 

The  present  membershi]>  of  the  Albia  church  rt'aches 
nearly  500,  and  they  pay  their  minister  a  liberal  salary. 
They  have  lately  pui'chased  a  lot  on  Main  Street,  with  a  view 
to  erecting  a  niori^  commodious  church  edifice. 

The  United  lintlinii  (Intnh. 

The  first  organization  of  this  church  was  made  in  the 
Clodfelter  neigliborhood,  about  fotir  mih^s  soutlieast  of 
•Vlbia,  in  1854.  In  1845,  however.  Rev.  Wm.  Bird,  an  evan- 
gelist, preached  ocrasionally  near  TTayden  Smith's,  south  of 
Albia  a  couple  of  miles,  where  John  Collins  now  ri'sides. 
Rev.  Kohzad  preached  in  1855,  and  the  next  year  Rev. 
McLaughlin.  In  1858  Kev.  Byerley  took  charge  of  the  con- 
gregation.    He  was    succeeded    by  l\e\.  Jacob    Honebrake. 


270  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY.  IOWA. 

The  charter  members  of  this  first  organization  were:  Wm. 
Clodfelter  and  family,  Hudson  Martin  and  wife,  Richard 
Martin  and  wife,  Jas.  Martin,  and  Samuel  Miller  and  wife. 
Since  about  the  year  1860  the  church  went  down,  and  no  re- 
organization was  made  until  1880,  when,  through  the  efforts 
of  W.  H.  Trussel,  who  lives  in  Monroe  Township,  Rev.  Wm. 
Kelsey  was  induced  to  preach  at  the  Hayes  school-house  and 
elsewhere  throughout  the  county.  An  organization  was 
formed,  and  then  Rev.  Myer  succeeded  Kelsey  as  pastor. 
Myer  conducted  a  successful  series  of  meetings  at  Selection, 
during  which  the  church  received  many  accessions.  He  was 
enthusiastic  in  his  work,  and  was  the  most  successful  min- 
ister that  has  ever  led  the  United  Brethren  flock  in  the 
county.  After  preaching  several  years,  both  in  Monroe  and 
Appanoose  counties,  in  which  latter  an  organization  has  ex- 
isted for  many  years  at  Salem  Chapel,  he  located  in  Kansas 
and  became  a  presiding  elder  in  the  church.  He  was  suc- 
ceeded by  Rev.  Schaffer,  who  also  preached  several  years  in 
both  appointments. 

Rev.  Smith  came  next,  and  then  Rev.  Heitegman  as- 
sumed charge.  He  did  not  preach  out  his  full  term,  and  was 
succeeded  by  Rev.  Rebok.  Rev.  Benson  came  next,  and 
filled  the  pulpit  for  one  or  more  years,  and  was  succeeded  by 
Rev.  Woodson.  Woodson  died  before  his  term  ended,  and 
Rev.  Wm.  Whitlock  filled  out  the  term.  Rev.  Brooke  next 
took  charge  and  is  at  present  the  pastor. 

Of  late  years,  a  part  of  the  United  Brethren  Church 
have  taken  up  the  doctrine  of  "holiness,"  or  entire  sanctifi- 
cation.  Rev.  Whitlock  was  one  of  the  most  zealous  pro- 
moters of  this  society,  and  did  considerable  evangelical 
work  throughout  the  State,  taking  a  tent  with  him.  For 
some  time  the  "holiness"  folks  remained  in  the  United  Breth- 
ren Church,  but  later  have  organized  some  sort  of  society  of 
their  own,  a  sketch   of  which  will   follow  in  this   chapter. 

The  United  Brethren  Church  in  Monroe  County  contains 
about  50  members.  The  church  is  thrifty  and  progressive. 
It  formerly  opposed  secret  societies,  but  of  late  their  consti- 
tution has  been  so  amended  as  to  take  in  members  of  the 
secret  and  benevolent  organizations.  This  change  will 
doubtless  add  to  the  growth  and  popularity  of  the  church, 
as  hitherto  the  anti-secret  society  sentiment  excluded  many 
influential  and  worthy  members. 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY.  IOWA.  271 

lu  1884  a  handsome  church  edifice  was  erected,  near 
Selection,  in  Monroe  Township,  whore  services  are  held  semi- 
monthly. The  ohl  j)ioneer  or<j;anization  hehl  its  services  in 
the  Clodfelter  school-house  in  Urbana  Township,  not  far  from 
where  Samuel  Miller  lived  for  many  years. 

The  Bunkers. 

The  Dunkers,  or  German  Baptists,  have  an  organization 
nt'ar  Cuba,  a  few  miles  east  of  Avery.  At  present  there  are 
about  80  members.  The  church  is  of  German  origin,  but 
many  of  the  membership  in  Monroe  County  are  native  born, 
and  of  English  nationality. 

In  1888  a  faction  of  the  church  withdrew  from  the  main 
body  and  styled  themselves  ''The  Old  Order."  Some  of 
the  younger  members  began  to  manifest  a  liking  for  buttons, 
instead  of  hooks  and  ej^es,  and  the  church  in  general,  they 
thought,  had  begun  to  relax  its  rigidity  in  its  long-adopted 
custom  of  plainness  of  dress.  They  therefore  withdrew, 
and  Elder  .lolin  Stama  had  charge  of  the  faction  for  four 
3'ears.  This  faction  is  now  about  extinct  in  Monroe  County, 
there  being  but  one  or  two  members  left,  since  the  recent 
death  of  David  Kingery  and  wife,  who  were  prominent  mem- 
bers. 

There  is  still  another  offshoot  from  the  church,  known 
as  the  Progressive  Dunkers.  The  question  of  dress  does  not 
enter  into  their  religion  at  all,  and  every  member  is  free 
to  dress  as  he  or  she  wishes.  There  is  no  organization  of 
this  faction  in  Monroe  County. 

The  church  proper  contains  at  present  the  following 
officers:  Hiram  Berkman,  John  Follis,  elders;  Willis 
Rhodebaugh.  minister  in  first  degree;  Abram  Morgan,  Aaron 
Moss,  "Ren''  Morgan,  John  Miller,  Wm.  Adkison,  deacons. 

In  the  summer  of  18S.'5  a  church  edifice  was  erected 
about  two  miles  east  of  the  town  of  Avery.  It  is  a  sub- 
stantial structure.  .'^0x70  in  dimensions,  and  is  of  the  plainest 
architecture. 

Among  the  list  of  present  membership  are:  Hiram 
Berkman.  wife,  and  two  daughters,  John  Follis  and  family. 
Lewis  ^filler  and  wife.  ''Aunt"  Ruth  Miller.  Mrs.  Isabel 
Miller,  Geo.  Thornton.  Mrs,  Dora  Snow,  Miss  Ann  Ronk, 
Mrs.  Mary  Henderson.  Mrs.  Ellen  Moss,  Mrs.  Abigail  Dres 
kill.  Miss  Flora  Boebe.  ^liss  Martha  Bcebe.  Jasper  Bi^-bc. 
Mrs.  Emma  Henny,  Peter  Miller  and  wife,  Lewis  Milltr  and 


272  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY.  IOWA. 

wife,  Warder  Miller  and  wife,  Elisha  Leech  and  wife,  Mis« 
Rhoda  Hunt,  Mrs.  Matilda  Bailey,  Mrs.  Olive  Morgan,  Mrs. 
Eliza  Morgan,  Wm,  Warner  and  wife,  Mrs.  Martha  Warner, 
Mrs.  Mary  Roberts,  Joseph  Miller,  Mrs.  Jane  Roberts,  Mrs. 
Ann  Whetson,  Mrs.  De  Moss,  Mrs.  Martha  Cotfman,  Mrs. 
Lucinda  Miller,  Mrs.  Nancy  Millard,  Mrs.  Drucilla  AVood- 
ruff,  Mrs.  Margaret  Rogers,  Mrs.  Rosanna  Hansel,  Mrs.  Ida 
l*earson,  Mrs.  Malinda  Hardsock,  Mrs,  Ella  Beebe,  Mrs. 
Amanda  Miller,  Marshall  Bonnett  and  wife,  Mrs.  Sarah 
Ferrall,  Mrs.  Hannah  Ferrall,  Mrs.  Dell  Ferrall,  Mrs.  Emma 
Bonnett,  Mrs.  Sophia  McMullen,  Mrs.  Mary  Adkison,  Frank 
Roberts  and  wife,  Sam'l  Roberts  and  wife.  Miss  Emma 
Funk,  Miss  Maimie  Follis,  Miss  Annie  Follis,  Miss  Amy 
Beebe,  Victor  Pearson,  Henry  Butler,  John  Miller  and  wife, 
Martin  Snow,  John  Brewer  and  wife,  John  Dreskill,  and 
Miss  Nettie  Dreskill. 

Among  the  old  charter  members  were  John  Hansel 
and  wife,  Daniel  Miller  and  wife,  Peter  Miller  and  wife, 
David  Kingery  and  wife,  Wm.  Warner  and  wife,  Mrs. 
Abigail  Miller,  Mrs.  Sarah  ^loss,  and  Frank  Myers. 

Elder  Frank  Myers  was  the  first  minister.  He  was 
succeeded  by  Elder  Daniel  Miller,  who  died  in  1883.  Since 
then.  Elder  Hiram  Berkman  and  Elder  John  Follis  have 
had  charge  of  the  congregation.  Elder  Berkman  was 
ordained  in  1881,  and  was  associated  with  Elder  Miller  in 
the  pastorate  up  to  the  death  of  the  latter. 

The  Baptist  Church. 

The  Baptists  organized  in  1855,  with  a  small  member- 
ship. They  ceased  to  hold  meetings  in  Albia  in  1863,  but 
two  years  later  they  held  meetings  in  the  Christian  church, 
and  in  1807  they  built  a  church  edifice,  which  in  later  years 
])assed  into  the  hands  of  the  Christian  denomination,  and 
forms  a  part  of  the  latter's  present  structure. 

Rev.  J.  C.  Miller  had  charge  of  the  Albia  congregation, 
and  in  later  years  Rev.  INIace  acted  as  pastor  for  a  time,  but 
at  the  ])resent  there  is  no  organization  in  Albia. 

There  is  also  an  organization  in  the  western  portion  of 
Monroe  Township,  in  the  Woodcock-Thomas  neighborhood, 
but  they  do  not  hold  regular  services  there.  In  this  con- 
gregation were  the  Woodcocks,  Thomases,  Youngs,  and  the 
Vnrnuni  family.  The  church  building  was  erected  in  about 
the  year  1860." 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  C0DNT7.  IOWA.  273 

TluTc  is  also  another  orj^auizatiou  at  Lovilia,  and  aii- 
othtn-  at  liiteiiian.  At  the  hitter  phice  Ihey  have  a  com- 
modious church  building;:  and  a  large  membership. 

An  orjjanization  was  made  at  I.ovilia  early  in  the  '(iOs, 
but  it  died  out,  and  no  reorj^anization  was  made  until  18!):?. 
They  used  the  other  church  edilices  as  })laces  of  worshii). 
and  ha\e  at  i)resent  a  nuMubership  of  41).  The  present 
deacons  are  Jas.  Stewart,  A.  F'.  Cobb,  and  H.  II.  (\)rmauy. 
Their  ju'esent  pastor  is  Kev.  Lanninjjham,  who  divides  his 
time  with  the  Hiteman  class.  Elder  Dewees  or<;anized  the 
first  class,  and  the  next  preacher  was  Rev.  Todd.  Rev.  Hicks 
took  chai-si-e  in  the  later  '60s,  but,  becoming?  entangled  in  a 
scandal  in  which  one  of  the  sisters  of  his  flock  was  co-related, 
the  i)reacher  withdrew,  and  the  church  went  to  pieces. 

For  many  years  the  ^Missionary  Baptists  have  had  a 
kind  of  loose  organization  in  the  southern  portion  of  the 
county.  The  term  "Hardshell"  has  been  applied  to  the  less 
jirogressive  element  of  the  church,  ])robably  owing  to  their 
incorrigible  opposition  to  modern  church  usages  and  doc- 
trines. This  crustaceous  ai>}>ellation  may  also  be  in  part 
owing  to  the  rude  or  unsophisticated  appearance  of  many  of 
the  members,  together  with  their  close-communion  idejis. 
They  seldom  had  church  edifices,  but  congregated  in  school- 
houses,  in  which  they  became  noted  for  the  fervency  and 
vigor  of  their  revival  meetings.  The  ministers  were  unedu- 
cated, but  usualh'  possessed  a  combination  of  backwoods 
eloquence  and  shrewdness  which  crowned  their  efforts  with 
success. 

Tn  about  the  year  1800  Rev.  Geo.  liauey,  of  Appanoose 
(N)unty,  built  up  a  large  and  ]irosperous  membershiji  of 
Ttajitists  in  the  vicinity  of  Foster,  and.  chielly  through  his 
efforts,  a  handsome  chui-ch  edifice  was  erected  at  Foster.  .V 
couph*  of  years  later  it  burned  down  and  was  reluiilt  in  1804 
and  180,~).  The  church  at  Foster  is  in  a  prosju'rous  condition, 
and  the  pulpit  is  now  filled  by  Rev.  Smith.  The  congregation 
have  also  erected  a  parsonage  for  their  pastor. 

The  African  Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 
The  colored  Met h(»«lists  were  organizc<l  in  February, 
187.'{.  in  the  old  r.a|»tist  church  in  Albia,  by  Kev.  Ilcnson.  The 
following  is  a  list  of  some  of  the  jn'ominent  members:  Mr. 
Jones,  Mr.  Henry  Jones.  Mr.  Alf.  Urayson.  Mrs,  Sarah  Gray- 
son, Rev.  Gornelius  Thomas,  Mrs.  Mary  Furgason,  Mrs.  Rilda 


274  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

Hedge,  Monroe  Davis,  Mrs.  Indiana  Thomas,  and  Elijah 
Morris. 

Rev.  Benson  served  in  the  pulpit  two  years,  Rev.  Hutchi- 
son, two  years;  Elder  Holmes,  one  year;  Rev.  Johnson,  two 
years;  Rev.  Rhinehart,  two  years;  Rev,  Malone,  one  year; 
Rev.  Hammond,  one  year;  Rev.  Rhinehart,  again  one  year; 
Rev.  Williams,  two  years;  Elder  Peterson,  one  year;  Rev, 
Addison,  one  year;  Rev.  Taj'lor,  two  years;  Rev.  Johnson, 
one  year;  Rev.  F.  W.  Lewis,  one  year;  Rev.  Ford,  one  year; 
Rev.  James,  one  year ;  Rev.  Rhinehart,  again  one  year. 

The  present  church  structure  was  built  in  1884,  and  the 
parsonage  in  1895. 

Grace  Episcopal  Church. 

In  1867  Bishop  Lee  organized  an  Episcopal  church  in 
Albia  with  H.  K.  Steele,  Geo.  Hickenlooper,  and  a  Mr.  White 
as  vestrymen.  Mr.  Hickenlooper  did  not  belong  to  any 
church,  but  his  wife  was  a  member,  and  it  was  probably 
through  her  membership  that  he  enjoyed  the  emoluments  of 
the  office.  Rev.  J.  E.  Ryan,  of  Ottumwa,  assisted  the  bishop 
in  the  organization. 

Rev.  Labaugh  was  their  first  regular  preacher  or  rector. 
He  continued  his  services  until  1872  or  1873,  when  the  organ- 
ization succumbed  to  financial  embarrassment.  At  about 
this  period  they  erected  a  church  building,  largely  by  means 
of  funds  advanced  by  Mr.  Labaugh. 

The  church  building  was  that  now  owned  by  the  Catholic 
society  on  Benton  Street.  It  passed  out  of  the  hands  of  the 
Episcopal  society  through  the  foreclosure  of  a  mortgage. 

The  society  still  continues  to  hold  services  in  Albia. 
They  congregate  in  a  hall  over  the  Albia  State  Bank,  and 
Rev,  Whittam  is  the  rector. 

The  Roman  Catholics. 

The  Catholics  numbered  among  the  pioneer  settlers  of 
M<mroe  County,  and  were  in  the  county  before  Iowa  became 
a  State,  They  early  displayed  that  spirit  of  enterprise  and 
devotion  to  their  religion  which  has  marked  their  course  in 
every  land  and  in  every  epoch  of  Christian  history.  Since 
then,  four  churches  have  been  built  in  Monroe  County  and 
the  society  is  flourishing. 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY.  IOWA.  275 

The  inembei'ship  in  Monroe  County  is  largely  made  up 
of  our  Irish  population.  They  are  (piiet  and  industrious,  and 
very  greatly  reverence  their  priest.  The  priests  who  have 
had  charge  of  the  organizations  in  the  county  have  all  been 
highly  educated  men,  and  an  embellishment  to  any  com- 
munity. They  are  not  only  capable  of  rendering  wise  spir- 
itual counsel  to  their  parishioners,  but  also  give  temporal 
advice  in  matters  of  a  worldly  nature. 

In  order  to  illustrate  the  obedience  with  which  the  par- 
ishioners conform  to  the  wishes  of  the  priest,  an  incident  is 
related  as  an  actual  occurrence,  but  the  waiter  cannot  voucli 
for  its  truth,  though  the  episode  probably  occurred. 

Some  years  ago,  when  they  were  raising  funds  with 
which  to  erect  a  church,  the  times  were  rather  hard  for  an 
enterprise  of  this  kind,  and  the  story  goes  that  the  priest, 
from  his  position  in  the  pulpit,  would  assign  certain  dona- 
tions to  certain  members  of  the  parish;  for  instance,  the  Can  s 
would  be  directed  to  donate  so  many  dollars,  the  Malones  so 
many,  etc.  The  priest,  pointing  to  one  old  gentleman,  said: 
''And  you  must  give  ten  dollars."  AVhereupon  the  faithful 
parishioner  arose,  and  in  a  meek  though  mildly  remonstra- 
tive  tone  began :  "May  it  plaze  yer  riverince.  toims  are  verra 
hard  an'  the  price  of  hogs  is" — but  at  this  stage  of  the  re- 
monstrance the  priest,  pointing  his  finger  at  him,  shouted: 
"You  sit  down,  sir!"  The  old  gentleman  sat  down,  and  a 
few  days  later  somebody  in  Albia  remarked  to  him  that  the 
priest  was  a  little  hard  on  him.  "Yis,  he  wor,"  was  his  re- 
ply; "but  the  money  will  have  to  coom."  "What  will  be  the 
result  if  you  fail?"  was  next  asked.  "His  riverince  would 
sind  me  to  the  divil  if  T  refused." 

In  1854  or  1855  the  Catholics  built  a  log  church  in  ilu' 
northeast  corner  of  Hugh  Fitz-Patrick's  field.  It  stood  by 
the  side  of  the  little  grave-yard,  which  faced  the  Albia  and 
Chariton  highway.  The  spot  where  this  little  church  stood 
is  now  growing  in  grass,  but  the  place  will  long  be  remem- 
bered by  the  friends  and  descendants  of  those  pioneer  set- 
tlers who  attended  mass  in  this  humble  cabin  of  long  ago. 

The  society  was  organized  by  Rev.  Father  Kiakel,  a  Ger- 
man, who  conducted  mass  in  the  early  '50s,  and  who  is  now 
the  venerable  pastor  of  the  principal  ])arish  in  Ottumwa, 
Iowa. 

Among  this  band  of  zcalniis  jiionccr  Christians  were 
the  Carrs,  Coadys,  (Jouners,  Cullenanes,  Stacks,  McDonalds, 


276  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

ISIoloys,  McDononghs,  Sinnots,  and  Sculleys.  Through 
their  efforts  the  handsome  St.  Patrick's  Cliurch  at  Stacyville 
was  begun  in  1860.  This  edifice  was  designed  by  Fatlier 
Clifford,  a  young  clergyman  of  rare  talent  and  amiable 
social  traits.  The  structure  is  built  of  stone.  It  is  100  feet 
in  length,  (50  feet  wide,  and  50  feet  in  height.  It  was  an 
arduous  undertaking  to  build  it,  at  the  time,  and  it  was  sev- 
eral years  before  it  was  completed.  The  parishioners  were 
mostly  poor  at  that  time,  and  it  was  a  great  sacrifice  on  the 
part  of  many  to  contribute  of  their  means.  At  one  time 
this  church  interior,  with  the  altar,  statuary,  and  paint- 
ings, was  classed  as  one  of  the  handsomest  in  southern  Iowa. 

Among  later  settlers  who  were  most  active  and  liberal 
in  their  endeavors  to  complete  the  church  were  Edward 
O'Bryan,  the  Kelliher  families,  John  Welsh,  the  Malones,  the 
Colemans,  and  several  others  equally  generous. 

St.  Patrick's  Parish  has  had  the  following  pastors  since 
its  organization:  Fathers  Krakel,  McMenomy,  Gleason, 
Malone,  Cannon,  Harrison,  Ryan,  Monyhan,  Hayes,  and 
Gaule.     The  latter  is  the  present  pastor. 

The  church  edifice  at  Stacyville  was  built  in  18(54,  and 
the  ceremony  of  laying  the  corner-stone  was  observed  May, 
19, 1801.  Bishop  Smyth,  of  Dubuque,  was  present,  and  con- 
ducted the  services.  He  placed  the  corner-stone,  and  be- 
neath it  was  deposited  a  bottle,  hermetically  sealed,  con- 
taining the  following:  "Idibus  Maii  jumpe  in  teste  pentecoste, 
anno  domini  1864.  Pio  Nono,  Papa  Feliciter  Ecclesiam 
Regente.  Abraham  Lincoln,  Praside  Statuum  Faderoto- 
runi  America  Septenrionalis.  Wm.  M.  Stone,  Guberna- 
culum  Status  Iowa  tenente.  Illius  Reorao  Clemens  Smyth, 
Biscopus  Dubuquensis,  hunce  Primarium  Lapidum.  Inagno 
Coneorsu  populi  circumstante  et  equituum  exoronte  rite  et 
solemniter  ])nsnit."  There  were  also  deposited  with  this 
record  a  silver  five-cent  piece,  a  five-cent  bill  of  fractional 
currency,  and  a  twenty-cent  bill  of  currency;  also  a  copy  of 
the  Albia  ('nion  of  July  8,  18(58 — all  of  which  are  doubtless 
(piietly  resting  to  this  day  in  their  sealed  receptacle. 

In  1870  the  Catholic  community  of  Melrose  organized. 
They  erected  a  humble  church  ediifice,  but  the  society  in- 
creased so  rapidly  that  more  room  was  soon  required.  The 
old  building  was  sold,  and  is  now  John  Foutch's  barn ;  and 
the  present  handsome  and  commodious  building  succeeded 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY.  IOWA.  277 

it.     Father  O'Reilly  is  the  priest   who  presides  over  these 
people. 

Out  at  Weller  stands  a  neat  little  church,  built  by  the 
Catholics.  As  it  is  too  small,  it  will  soon  be  replaced  by  a 
larfjer  structure. 

The  orpiuists  at  these  churches  are:  at  Staoyville, 
Mrs.  W.  W.  O'liryan;  at  Melrose,  Miss  T.  McGrath;  aud  at 
Weller.  Miss  Wallace.  Their  respective  choirs,  especially  at 
Stacy ville,  attract  the  attention  of  all  musical  ears.  The 
music  is  said  to  be  exquisite. 

In  1874  Father  Harrison  organized  a  congregation  in 
Albia.  They  bought  the  Episcopal  church  when  it  was  sold 
by  foreclosure,  and  at  present  they  hold  service  twice  a  week. 

Father  Ryan  preached  two  years  after  Harrison's  two 
years'  service;  then  Father  King  took  charge,  and  led  the 
society  for  eight  months  during  1877-8.  Father  Daily  then 
j)reaclied  eight  .^ears,  and  was  succeeded  by  Father  Quinn, 
who  preached  three  years.  Father  Fitz-Simmons  next  as- 
sumed charge,  and  preached  a  year,  and  was  succeeded  by 
Father  McCarville,  who  took  charge  in  May,  181)5,  and  who 
is  now  at  the  head  of  the  society. 

The  .\lbia  church  has  about  125  members  living  within 
the  city. 

The  Catholic  population  of  Monroe  County  reaches  beyond 
2,000.  There  are  at  present,  224  in  Wayne  Township,  542  in 
Jackson  Township,  H12  in  Guilford  Townshi]).  l\9S  in  Cedar 
T<>wnship.  about  200  in  Union  Township,  and  about  200  dis- 
tributed tluMMighout  the  other  townshii>s.  with  about  125 
in  Albia. 

The  Socictif  of  Frirtuls. 

The  Friends  Chur<h  came  into  existence  in  Albia  in  the 
year  1S!>5.  through  the  ])olicy  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Chuirh  in  expelling  certain  of  its  members  for  alleged  insub- 
ordinaticm  to  the  doctrine  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 
A  part  of  the  latter  church  imbibed  the  doctrine  of  "holi- 
ness," or  entire  sanctitication,  insisting  that  this  was  the 
basic  principle  of  oiiginal  Metliodism  as  enunciated  by  John 
Wesley.  On  being  ex]»elled.  they  alViliated  witli  the  Monroe 
Cotmty  Holiness  Asseciation,  and  particii»aled  with  the  lat- 
ter in  their  camp  meetings  and  cottage  ]»ra,vei-  meetings. 

.\s  tlu'  Holiness  Association  is  inter  denominatiunal  in 
chaiacter,  embracing  a  membersliip  from  all  churches,  yet 


278  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY.  IOWA. 

not  being  denominational  itself,  the  Monroe  County  exiles 
from  the  Methodist  Church  decided  not  to  join  the  Holiness 
Society  as  a  body,  but  to  investigate  the  tenets  of  the 
Friends  organization  at  Oskaloosa,  Accordingly  they  sent 
a  delegate  to  Oskaloosa  to  request  membership  with  the 
Friends  of  Oskaloosa. 

Rev.  G.  M.  Lemon,  of  Oskaloosa,  superintendent  of  the 
Oskaloosa  Quarterly  Meeting,  came  to  Albia,  and,  after 
fully  investigating  the  matter,  returned  and  sent  a  committee 
to  Albia  to  examine  applicants  for  membership.  A  favor- 
able report  was  submitted  by  the  committee,  and  an  organi- 
zation was  made  at  Albia,  which  is  known  as  the  Albia 
Monthly  Meeting  of  Friends.  They  congregated  in  Perry's 
opera  house  for  a  time,  but  later  changed  their  place  of  meet- 
ing to  Love's  hall,  where  they  meet  at  present. 

The  society,  beginning  with  40  members,  has  increased 
to  nearly  250.  They  held  meetings  at  Cedar  Mines,  where 
they  gained  about  100  proselytes.  They  also  held  services 
at  the  Morris  school-house,  about  five  miles  west  of  Albia, 
where  they  gained  about  50  accessions.  Their  pastor  is 
Miss  Lorena  Tyrrell,  a  lady  of  remarkable  energy  and  ability. 
She  is  universally  beloved  by  her  flock,  and  has  been  emi- 
nently successful  in  her  pastoral  duties. 

The  Albia  Friends  Church  is  oflicered  by  four  deacons — 
namely,  A.  H.  Humeston,  Eli  McAlister,  Mrs.  D.  W.  Nevins, 
and  Mrs.  Sarah  Ireland.  Mr.  Harry  Van  Schoiak  is  clerk, 
and  Dr.  E.  G.  Powers  corresponding  secretary. 

Early  this  fall  (1896)  they  intend  to  erect  a  church  edifice 
in  Albia,  which  will  have  as  large  seating  capacity  as  any  in 
Albia.  It  will  be  erected  two  blocks  north  of  the  northwest 
corner  of  the  Square  and  one  block  north  of  the  Cramer 
Hotel.  It  will  be  a  frame  building,  and  it  is  expected  that  it 
will  be  completed  during  the  present  year. 

The  church  creed  of  these  Friends  is  the  same  as  that  of 
the  original  Friends,  or  Quakers,  except  that  in  the  former 
faction  the  regulations  of  dress  are  eliminated.  There  is 
another  striking  contrast  in  their  manner  of  worship.  The 
original  Friends,  or  Quakers,  are  silent  and  undemonstrative, 
while  the  latter  are  quite  the  opposite,  often  being  carried 
beyond  the  point  of  diginity  in  their  religious  fervor. 

The  Monroe  County  Holiness  Association. 
In  1892  the  doctrine  of  "holiness,"  or  entire  sanctification, 
became  a  conspicuous  theme  with  a  certain   element  of 


HISTORY  OF  MONROB^  COUNTY.  IOWA.  279 

the  Methodist,  United  Bre'thren,  and  a  few  of  the  Baptist 
societies  in  Monroe  County.  They  are  very  zealous  in  their 
convictions,  and  while  participating  in  public  worship  some 
of  them  become  so  wrought  up  by  their  emotions  that  their 
feelings  approach  something  like  a  spiritual  frenzy.  When 
seized  by  this  feeling,  it  is  not  uncommon  for  the  subject  to 
sink  into  a  sort  of  trance,  and  remain  in  this  condition  some- 
times for  hours.  This  phenomenon  usually  transpires  while 
the  subject  is  experiencing  the  explusion  of  inbred  sin  by  the 
influence  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  The  change,  they  assert,  which 
their  spiritual  state  undergoes  in  its  transition  from  a  sin- 
ful state  to  one  of  absolute  sinlessness  is  instantaneous,  irre- 
sistible, and  overwhelming.  Their  souls  are  then  isolated 
from  all  worldly  temptations,  and  all  inbred  sin  is  rooted  out. 

Some  of  the  more  emotional  of  the  members  adhere  to 
the  doctrine  of  Christian  science,  and  profess  to  heal  dis- 
eases through  divine  interposition. 

Among  the  charter  members  of  this  society  were  Chas. 
Bay,  Jas.  Neil,  D.  C.  Crowell,  G.  U.  Clemmons,  T.  H.  Parker, 
L.  H.  Parker,  Joseph  Parker,  and  Mrs.  Parker,  his  mother, 
and  the  hitter's  daughter,  Mrs.  Maring,  D.  W.  Xevins,  Dr. 
Powers  and  wife,  W.  R.  Kelse}',  the  Patersons,  Mrs.  L.  A. 
McCreai'y,  Mrs.  Sarah  Ireland,  Kev.  Wm.  Whitlock  and  wife. 
J.  A.  Bigelow  and  wife,  Dallas  Winecup  and  wife,  Isaac 
Trimble,  D.  C.  Currier  and  wife,  Mrs.  Hurford,  A.  H.  Hume- 
ston  and  family,  and  Sol  Hickman. 

S.  H.  Humeston,  of  Albia,  is  president  of  this  society, 
and  Mrs.  Sarah  Ireland  is  vice-president.  Miss  Bertha  Hume- 
ston secretary',  and  Isaac  Trimble  treasurer.  The  society  is 
inter-denominational  in  character,  and  is  governed  by  a  Com- 
mitttee  of  Council.  The  membership  within  the  county  is 
about  200. 

Their  doctrine  is  very  simple,  and  is  about  the  same  as 
that  of  the  Salvation  Army.  It  teaches  simplicity  of  dress 
and  the  Golden  Kule,  without  any  accompanying  "isms." 
Each  member  is  expected  to  follow  his  own  conscience  in  dis- 
cerning tlie  right.  They  disregard  the  usual  outward  cere- 
monials observed  by  the  orthodox  churches,  and  devote 
their  attention  to  simple  piety. 

They  have  no  chui-ch  edifices,  and  employ  no  ])astors  for 
theii-  local  organization.  They  worship  usually  in  a  tent  :it 
certain  intervals,  and  employ  some  noted  evangelist  of  their 
persuasion  to  conduct  a  camp-meeting. 


280  n  I  STORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY.  WW  A. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

Aver  a  fjc  Crop  Yield  of  Monroe  Coimty  for  1895,  and  Other 
Statistical  Items. 

The  following  figures  are  taken  from  the  Iowa  Agri- 
cultural Report  for  1895. 

The  average  yield  per  Jiere  of  agricultural  prod- 
ucts was: 

Winter  wheat,  bushels 22 

Corn,  bushels 40 

Oats,  bushels 34 

Rye.,  bushels 16 

Timothy  seed,  bushels 3.6 

Clover  seed,  bushels 2 

Millet  seed,  bushels 18 

Potatoes,  bushels 134 

Sweet  potatoes,  bushels 136 

Buckwheat,  bushels 141 

Sorghum,  gallons 108 

Hay,  timothy,  tons 1 

For  these  staple  products,  the  prices  on  December  1st 
averaged  as  follows: 

Winter  wheat |0.42 

Corn 19 

Oats 14 

Rye 20 

Timothy  seed 1.32 

Clover  seed 4.50 

Millet 25 

I'otatoes 20 

Sweet  potatoes 87 

Buckwheat 45 

Sorghum 55 

Hay,  timothy 7.00 

The  average  price  per  head  for  cows  on  same  date  was 
$28,  and  that  of  horses  |34. 

In  1895  there  were  10  counties  in  Iowa  which  gave  a 
higher  yield  per  acre  of  winter  wheat  than  Monroe  County. 
The  counties  of  Greene,  Tama,  and  Guthrie  averaged  25 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA.  281 

bushels  per  acre,  which  was  the  highest.  Carroll,  Dallas, 
and  Adair  gave  an  average  of  24  bushels  to  the  acre,  and 
Palo  Alto,  Frt^'uiont,  Van  Buren,  Henry,  Muscatine,  and 
Washington  2:?  busliels  per  acre,  Monroe  (Jounty,  with  li»*r 
average  yield  of  '2'2  bushels,  canu'  next. 

J^ittle  or  no  spring  wheat  has  been  sown  in  .Moiirtx' 
County  within  recent  years. 

In  18U5  the  highest  yield  of  corn  per  acre  was  nuide  by 
Fremont  County,  showing  50  bushels  per  acre;  while  that  of 
Monroe  County  was  40  bushels.  The  highest  average  yield 
of  oats  was  made  by  Montgomery  County,  showing  71 
bushels  per  acre;  while  that  of  Monro<?  was  34. 

For  the  present  year  (18l)(»)  the  average  yield  for  Monroe 
County  of  the  foregoing  staples  will  be  much  greater  than 
for  1895,  with  the  exception  of  the  oat  crop.  The  growth  of 
the  latter  crop  was  so  exuberant  that  a  large  proportion  of 
the  acreage  within  the  county  blew  down  before  it  was 
headed  out.  and  it  did  not  fill  well.  The  corn  crop  is  prob- 
ably the  heaviest  the  county  has  ever  produce<l,  and  its  aver- 
age yield  per  acre  will  reach  nearly  that  of  the  corn  co\inties 
iMU-dering  on  the  Missouri  Kiver. 

During  the  last  three  or  four  years  tlie  yield  per  acre  of 
the  hay  crop  has  been  decreasing,  though  the  acreage  has  not 
been  reduced.  This  is  mainly  owing  to  the  gradual  usurpa- 
tion of  the  fields  of  timothy  by  blue-grass.  During  the  recent 
seasons  of  drought  the  timothy,  making  a  light  growth,  and 
in  numy  cases  yielding  no  seed,  permitted  the  blue-grass  to 
take  its  j)lace.  The  blue-grass,  nuituring  the  efirliest  of  all 
grasses,  made  a  rajiid  growth  in  the  spring,  when  there  was 
a  little  moisture  in  tin*  earth.  Its  seed  matured,  germinated, 
and  choked  out  the  timothy,  which  had  about  succumbed  to 
the  dry  weather. 

The  most  protracted  drouglil  will  not  kill  blue  grass. 
It  becomes  parched  and  brown,  and  <'Ven  its  roots  become 
dried  out  and  ajijKirently  dea<l.  In  this  c(>ndilion  the  plant 
will  lie  dormant  for  niontlis;  but  when  the  rains  come,  the 
roots  return  to  life  and  the  plant  soon  regains  its  verdui-e.  It 
grows  in  great  pi-ofusion  on  all  kinds  of  soil,  and  esi»ecially 
on  unimpr<>ved  lands  and  timber  soil,  and  affords  valuable 
grazing  for  live  stock. 

In  1S!>5  there  were  1,1'I5.4:!7  head  of  lioises  in  the  Slate 
of  Iowa,  and  of  this  numbei-  Monroe  County  had  8.1)01. 
Thert^  were  onlv  9  counties  in  the  Slate  having  a  less  num- 


282  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

ber — viz.,  the  counties  of  Osceola,  Dickinson,  Emmett,  Win- 
nebago, Worth,  Hancock,  Palo  Alto,  Ida,  and  Pocahontas. 
Pottawattamie  County  had  21,695,  and  showed  the  largest 
number;  and  Dickinson  County,  with  her  5,211  head,  showed 
the  smallest  number. 

In  1895  Iowa  had  3,273,525  head  of  cattle,  of  which 
number  Monroe  County  had  14,546.  Fayette  County  showed 
37,910  head,  being  the  highest  number;  and  Emmett  County 
had  the  smallest  number — 7,720  head. 

In  the  same  year  there  were  3,895,316  head  of  hogs  in  the 
State,  and  Monroe  County  had  6,763  head.  Cedar  County 
stood  first  with  her  67,593  head;  and  Dickinson  County 
came  last,  with  but  4,847  head. 

In  1895  Monroe  County  had  12  cheese  factories,  far  out- 
numbering any  other  county  in  the  State;  the  next  highest 
number  being  in  Humboldt  County,  in  which  there  are 
but  5. 

While  Monroe  County  stands  without  a  rival  as  the 
banner  cheese-producing  county  in  the  State,  she  contains 
but  1  creamerv.  Bremer  County  has  28,  Dubuque  27,  Jones 
20,  Fayette  22^!  and  Linn  24. 

Some  years  ago  the  farmers  of  Monroe  County  tested 
the  relative  profits  yielded  by  these  two  industries.  A 
creamery  was  established  at  Albia  under  the  management 
of  competent  and  experienced  managers.  Milk  routes  were 
established  throughout  the  county,  traversing  almost  to  the 
remotest  parts.  The  milk  was  brought  to  the  creamery 
every  day  by  wagons  sent  out  by  the  creamery.  At  the  same 
time  the  cheese  industry  had  gotten  fairly  under  way;  but, 
after  a  test  of  one  season,  the  farmers  and  dairymen  decided 
that  there  was  more  profit  in  sending  their  milk  to  the  cheese 
factorit^s,  and  in  thus  supporting  the  latter,  the  former  in- 
dustry was  abandoned. 

Monroe  County  contains  271,408  acres  of  land,  whose 
assessed  valuation  in  1895  was  $2,320,235.  This  valuation 
included  town  lots.  The  assessed  valuation  of  personal 
property  was  |680,498.  The  assessed  valuation  of  railroad 
property  was  |579,342,  making  a  total  assessed  valuation  of 
$3,580,175. 

The  State  tax  for  the  same  was  |9, 194.85;  and  the 
county,  district,  and  city  taxes  were  |97,846. 

In  1896  Monroe  County  contained  a  population  of  15,870 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY.  IOWA.  283 

people.  There  were  also  5,2G9  youth  enumerated  in  the 
county  in  that  year. 

The  amount  of  the  permanent  fund  held  by  Monroe 
County  in  1895  was  |G0,912.14,  and  the  amount  of  interest 
apportioned  was  |890.46. 

To-day  there  are  doubtless  20,000  or  30,000  acres  of  wild 
land  in  Monroe  County,  lying  idle.  While  it  presents  con- 
siderable diversity  in  quality,  the  most  of  it  is  j^ood  soil,  and 
will  afford  good  pleasant  homes  to  those  who  have  the  brawn 
and  sinew  and  enterprise  to  occupy  and  develop  it.  The 
greater  part  of  this  laud  consists  of  timber  and  brush  lands, 
and  at  present  can  be  bought  at  from  $5  to  $20  per  acre,  aver- 
aging say  |12  per  acre.  Of  course,  the  locality  in  many 
cases  is  not  at  present  the  most  enjoyable;  but,  with  the 
rapid  change  in  conditions  which  is  steadily  taking  place, 
the  remotest  fastnesses  of  the  county  are  destined  in  a  dozen 
years  hence  to  emerge  into  a  happier  and  more  advanced 
state  of  civilization.  The  refining  influence  of  education  is 
reaching  out  on  every  hand,  wealth  and  enterprise  join  hands 
with  education,  and  with  their  combined  influence  the  county 
will  improve  and  each  succeeding  generation  will  be  an  im- 
provement on  its  predecessor.  School-houses  and  better 
public  roads  are  breaking  up  the  coarser  phases  of  rural  life. 
There  is  no  locality  within  the  county  so  remote  from  civili- 
zation but  that  the  farmer  can  get  his  mail  in  a  half-hour's 
drive.  With  his  good  team  and  carriage,  he  now  drives  to 
the  county  seat  after  supper;  whereas,  in  former  years,  it 
took  him  about  all  day  to  make  the  trip  with  his  team  of 
"plugs"  and  heavy  lumber  wagon. 

Every  foot  of  tillable  Monroe  (Jounty  soil  ought  to  be 
in  cultivation.  The  poorest  farm  in  the  county  will  at  least 
furnish  a  home  for  somebody.  Nobody  has  ever  been  known 
to  stai've  to  death  on  a  Monroe  County  farm.  He  can  con- 
trive to  make  a  living,  at  least,  and  make  it  honestly.  He  ha« 
the  satisfaction  of  sitting  under  the  shade  of  his  own  apple- 
tree,  and  the  land  is  his,  clear  down  to  the  center  of  the  earth. 
For  $400  or  $500  he  may  be  able  to  i)urchase  a  solid  section 
of  the  earth,  a  quarter  of  a  mile  wide,  a  quarter  of  a  mile 
deep,  and  over  .3,000  miles  in  length.  It  cannot  be  taken 
from  him  for  debt,  and  his  domicile  cannot  be  broken  into 
by  force,  without  legal  permission.  He  has  a  right  to  de- 
fend his  domicile  against  the  invasion  of  others,  even  to  the 
extremity  of  depriving  the  intruder  of  life. 


284  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY.  IOWA. 

To  be  the  owner  of  land  adds  dignity  to  citizenship.  He 
is  a  ''free-holder,"  and  enjoys  rights  and  privileges  of  fran- 
chise not  accorded  to  those  who  are  not  owners  of  realty.  He 
can  borrow  money  and  secure  the  loan  by  real  estate  security, 
when  others  could  not  negotiate  the  same  loan,  though  they 
oifered  the  most  abundant  security  in  the  nature  of  personal 
effects.  Security  for  the  loan  of  school  or  other  public  funds 
must  be  based  on  real  estate.  It  is  property  which  thieves 
cannot  break  in  and  steal,  nor  moth  corrupt. 

Bee  Culture. 

Bee  culture,  as  a  commercial  industr-}^,  has  within  recent 
years  been  occupying  the  attention  of  a  few  of  the  farmers 
throughout  the  county.  Ever  since  the  country  was  first 
settled,  the  people  have  kept  a  few  colonies  of  bees  for  home 
consumption  of  honey,  but,  beyond  supplying  their  own 
tables,  the  enterprise  has  been  attended  with  varying  re- 
sults— in  most  instances  with  failure. 

The  methods  pursued  by  the  bee-keepers  of  former 
years  were  very  primitive.  The  common  form  of  a  bee-hive 
was  a  section  of  a  hollow  log  about  four  feet  long,  and  any 
diameter  from  a  foot  up  to  two  feet.  About  midway  in  this 
"gum"  two  cross-sticks  were  inserted  as  a  support  for  the 
honeycomb,  A  broad  board  was  nailed  over  one  end  of  the 
"gum,"  as  a  roof,  and  the  bottom  end  was  left  open.  To  get 
at  the  honey,  the  bee-man  took  the  family  ax,  and  with  its 
edge  pried  up  the  cover  sufficiently  to  blow  smoke  into  the 
hive.  As  soon  as  the  smoke  reaches  a  bee  it  capitulates, 
l)ut  before  this  stage  of  the  attack,  the  farmer  expected  to  get 
stung  a  half-dozen  times  at  least,  for  the  slightest  jarring  of 
the  hive  will  bring  a  horde  of  intrepid  warriors  from  out  the 
hive.  He  did  not  seriously  object  to  their  stinging  him  if 
they  did  it  in  a  satisfactory  way,  but  they  would  never  do 
that;  they  would  invariably  crawl  up  his  pant-legs,  and,  be- 
fore getting  in  their  work,  strike  terror  into  the  heart  of  the 
farmer  by  a  kind  of  premonitory  humming.  The  agony  of 
tliis  sus])ense  was  further  increased  by  the  sensation  pro- 
duced by  the  l)ee  climbing  slowly  up  his  bare  leg.  A  man 
witli  a  strong  heart  and  iron  nerve  could  sometimes  stand 
this;  but  when  a  bee  gt)t  into  his  whiskers,  he  grew  panicy 
and  his  iron  nerve  ran  riot.  His  first  instinct  was  to  call  to 
his  wife  for  assistance,  but  invariably  she  remained  at  her 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 


285 


post  in  the  kitchen  door,  lauj^liinjij  at  him  until  witli  a  wiM 
vol]  he  broke  for  some  neighborinjij  slirublxn-y,  followed  b_v  a 
train  of  Avinjied  imrsuers.  Sonictinics  ho  never  ventiire<l 
back  to  replaeo  the  covor  on  tho  ''<iiini." 


Then,  if  ho  did  not  sneeeed  in  sul)diiin<;  the  beos,  he 
spoiled  the  honey  in  digjjing  it  out  of  tho  hivo  with  a  knife 
and  spoon,  and  usually  drowned  half  the  bees  in  the  torrents 


286  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

of  honey  flowing  from  the  lacerated  comb.  Honey  in  this 
condition  was,  of  com'se,  unfit  for  market;  and  he  only  aimed 
to  produce  enough  for  home  consumption. 

Later,  when  patent  hives  were  introduced,  they  were 
all  more  or  less  unsatisfactory,  and  did  not  conform  to  the 
instincts  of  the  bee. 

Within  recent  years,  however,  the  bee-hive  has  been 
highly  perfected,  and  the  bee  industry,  which  is  still  practi- 
cally in  its  infancy,  in  Monroe  County,  is  already  achieving 
gratifying  results. 

C.  H.  Clark,  a  son  of  the  late  Wareham  G.  Clark,  and 
who  resides  five  or  six  miles  southwest  of  Albia,  has  no  doubt 
pursued  the  industry  with  the  most  conspicuous  success  of 
any  bee-keepers  in  the  county.  He  has  at  present  from  40 
to  60  colonies,  but  intends  to  increase  the  number  to  at  least 
100.  He  has  his  apiary  on  88  acres  of  land,  and  estimates 
that  on  an  area  of  6  square  miles  100  colonies  of  bees  could 
be  successfully  maintained.  He  uses  a  nine-frame  hive,  and 
his  experience  has  evolved  some  very  important  facts.  He 
uses  a  square  frame  instead  of  one  rectilinear  in  form.  His 
reasons  for  adopting  this  form  of  frame  are:  the  queen  bee 
invariably  builds  her  cell  in  the  center,  and  for  some  reason, 
best  known  to  the  bee  itself,  bees  build  their  supply  of  honey 
above  the  queen's  apartment,  and  leave  the  lower  portion 
for  brood-cells  and  bee-bread.  When  Mr.  Clark  finds  the 
upper  half  of  the  frame  filled  with  honey,  he  removes  the 
frame  and  turns  it  upside  down,  and  by  thus  shifting  the 
position  of  the  frame  until  all  four  sides  have  been  in  their 
turn  changed,  the  bees  are  forced  to  build  in  the  boxes  above, 
when  they  would  otherwise  have  selected  the  frames. 

From  Mr.  Clark's  experience,  he  has  determined  that  100 
colonies  will  produce  6,000  pounds  of  honey  in  a  season.  He 
soils  his  honey  at  from  10  cents  to  20  cents  per  pound.  If 
his  product  averaged  15  cents  per  pound  at  wholesale,  100 
colonies  would  yield  him  a  profit  of  |900  annually.  Forty 
acres  of  land  would  be  all  the  land  necessary,  and  he  could 
follow  farming  besides.  He  could  sow  say  10  acres  of  buck- 
wheat to  facilitate  his  bees  in  their  honey-gathering,  but  they 
would  not  be  altogether  dependent  on  that,  as  the  forest 
bloom,  such  as  basswood,  white  clover,  fruit  blossoms,  field 
clover,  and  the  wilderness  of  asters,  golden  rod,  and  other 
yellow  wild  flowers  that  bloom  in  early  autumn  along  fence- 
rows,  highways,  and  stubble-fields,  usually  make  abundant 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY.  IOWA.  287 

food  for  bees.  Of  course  there  would  be  seasons  through 
which  he  would  have  to  feed  his  bees  perhaps  all  winter. 

Mr.  Clark  has  two  varieties  of  bees,  the  Italian  and  Cari- 
nolia.  He  thinks  the  Italian  is  the  best,  because  it  can 
reach  the  honey  cavity  in  a  large  proportion  of  the  red  field 
clover  bloom.  The  Carinolia  is  a  bee  imported  from  Austria, 
and  he  considers  this  variety  next  best,  having  in  his  apiary 
about  20  colonies. 

The  first  to  engage  in  bee  culture  in  (his  county  was 
Peter  Brown.  Oaks  and  Bachelor  next  started  an  apiai'v, 
but  soon  abandoned  the  enterprise. 

Within  recent  years  R.  B,  Arnold,  of  Urbana  Township, 
has  been  pursuing  the  industry  quite  successfully  in  con- 
nection with  horticulture  and  farming.  He  has  '50  colonies, 
and  intends  to  keep  on  increasing  the  number. 

Henry  Burner,  Austin  Jay,  L.  Snow,  David  Kenworthy, 
Alfred  Weilman,  and  others  are  successful  bee-raisers  in 
]\ronroe  County. 

yiv.  Claik,  whose  judgment  in  all  practical  matters  can 
be  fully  relied  on,  states  that  from  his  perscmal  experi- 
ence, bee  culture  in  Monroe  Countj'  can  be  made  a  highly 
I'emunerative  industry,  and  he  earnestly  recommends  its 
investigation. 

Politinil. 

The  political  cast  of  ^louroe  Ct)UJity  for  mauy  yi'ars 
has  been  prett}'  evenly  divided,  the  two  dominant  parties 
being  the  Republican  and  Democratic  parties. 

For  many  years  there  has  also  bcH'u  a  third  party  within 
the  county,  known  under  various  names,  such  as  the  Green- 
back i)arty.  Union  Labor  party,  I'rohibition  party,  and 
Populist  party  of  the  present  time. 

These  various  third  party  organizations,  save  the  Pro- 
hibitionists, derive  most  of  tlK'ir  recruits  from  the  Demo 
cratic  party;  hence  they  have  exhibited  a  more  cordial  feeling 
towards  the  latter  party  than  towards  the  Republican  party, 
and  it  is  not  uncommon  for  the  Democratic  party  and  the 
third  party,  whatever  it  may  be,  to  fuse  on  a  county  ticket. 
When  this  course  is  taken,  the  liepublican  jiarty  is  often 
in  a  slight  minority;  but  when  all  tlire<'  pai'ties  bring  out 
a  separate  local  ticket,  then  the  Rei)ublicans  are  in  the 
aseendency.  The  inci-eased  milling  ]»opulalion  has  added 
strength  to  the  Populist  party  <if  the  piesmi    time,  sinci' 


288  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY.  IOWA. 

a  lai-fie  majority  of  the  miners  favor  the  Populist  doctrine. 
The  l)emocratie  and  Populist  parties  were  of  about  equal 
strength  in  the  earlier  part  of  1800,  but  later  in  the  season 
the  free  silver  agitation,  then  at  its  height,  drew  many 
Democrats  into  the  Populist  ranks,  and  left  the  Democratic 
party  third  in  rank. 

The  following  official  tables  show  the  strength  of  the 
respective  political  parties  in  the  county  from  1889  to  1895. 
The  vote  was  on  State  officers, 

1895. 

Drake. 

Pleasant 88 

Bluff  Oreek 117 

Union 95 

Cedar 51 

Wayne 26 

Georgetown  (precinct) 26 

Hiteman  (precinct) 104 

Troy 142 

Albia,  1st  Ward 84 

"      2d  Ward 94 

"      3d  Ward 62 

"      4th  Ward 92 

Mantua 79 

Avery  (precinct) 64 

Urbana 55 

Hilton  (precinct) 57 

Foster  (precinct) 80 

Franklin 89 

Jackson (52 

Total 1867  848  805 

1894. 

McFarlaiid. 

Pleasant 184 

Bluff  Creek 181 

Union 118 

Cedar 67 

Wayne 82 

Georgetown  (precinct) 82 

Hiteman  (precinct) Ill 

Trov 181 


Babb. 

Crane. 

48 

42 

25 

81 

72 

22 

50 

46 

61 

24 

40 

22 

88 

164 

80 

68 

80 

21 

45 

17 

15 

12 

85 

37 

14 

24 

10 

105 

62 

33 

54 

18 

30 

74 

50 

36 

136 

14 

Dale. 

Crane. 

58  • 

69 

23 

23 

80 

29 

52 

56 

71 

16 

54 

16 

24 

167 

26 

65 

Dale. 

Crane. 

26 

17 

24 

24 

13 

12 

32 

34 

12 

29 

11 

125 

68 

27 

''2 

73 

41 

18 

54 

38 

137 

8 

HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA.  289 

McFarland. 

Albia,  1st  Ward 104 

"      2d  Ward 116 

"      3d  Ward 62 

"      4th  Ward 95 

Mantua 81 

Avery  (precinct) 81 

ITrba'na 58 

Foster  (precinct) 45 

Hilton  (precinct) 74 

Franklin 61 

Jackson 70 

Total 1618  832  846 

1893. 

Jackson. 

Pleasant 117 

Bluff  Creek 126 

Union 85 

Cedar 48 

Wayne 38 

Georgetown  (precinct) 28 

Hiteman  (precinct) 100 

Troy.  . 147 

Albia,  1st  Ward 95 

"      2d  Ward 102 

"      3d  Ward 40 

"      4th  Ward 96 

Mantua 136 

TTrbana 57 

Foster  (precinct) 45 

Hilton  (precinct) 78 

Franklin 39 

Jackson 74 

Total 1451  996  623 

1892. 

CumminK!^-        Witmcr.  Joseph. 

Pleasant 95           107            .34 

Bluff  Creek 128             H               9 


Boies. 

Joseph. 

83 

32 

31 

10 

80 

23 

68 

22 

75 

11 

56 

13 

29 

132 

39 

52 

35 

16 

48 

20 

18 

8 

40 

28 

44 

108 

83 

29 

37 

65 

41 

16 

59 

30 

1.30 

8 

290  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

Cumraings.         Witmer. 

Cedar 60  75 

Union 103  105 

Wayne 30  77 

Georgetown  (precinct) 37  60 

Hiteman  (precinct) 93  45 

Trov 143  44 

Albia,  1st  Ward 103  37 

"      2d  Ward 107  46 

"      3d  Ward 45  20 

"      4th  Ward 96  ^51 

Mantua 145  39 

Urbana 55  107 

Hilton  (precinct) 78  50 

Foster  (precinct) 51  33 

Franklin 59  81 

Jackson 73  151 

Total 1501         1169 

1891. 

Wheeler. 

Pleasant 89 

Blufif  Creek 148 

Union 104 

Cedar 82 

Wayne 41 

Georgetown  (precinct) 16 

Hiteman  (precinct) 74 

Trov 150 

Albia,  1st  Ward 112 

"      2d  Ward 99 

"      3d  Ward 54 

"      4th  Ward 93 

Mantua 161 

Urbana 56 

Hilton  (precinct) 86 

Foster  (precinct) 47 

Franklin 72 

Jackson 75 

Total 1559         1429 


Joseph. 

16 
25 
14 
14 

125 
69 
12 
13 
4 
15 

117 
15 
17 
40 


550 


Boies. 

Westfall. 

126 

11 

53 

1 

126 

4 

98 

1 

74 

0 

87 

5 

70 

18 

71 

53 

55 

3 

46 

10 

24 

1 

77 

4 

75 

74 

110 

3 

55 

2 

40 

17 

88 

0 

154 

1 

208 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA.  2\n 

1890. 

McFarlaiid.  Chamberlain.       Brown. 

rieasaiit 89  108  9 

lilutr  Tivek 125  5:^  7 

riiicm 108  111  4 

(Vdai- 80  !>;{  :i 

Waviu' :U  70  1 

(Ji'orjic'town  (prrciiict) -5  80  H 

llitemaii  (precinct) "),">  40  10 

Tiov.  .    . 17'J  78  2:3 

Albia,  1st  Ward lO:'.  48  1 

"      2d  Ward 100  41  2 

''      3d  Ward 48  18  0 

"      4th  Ward 89  01  4 

Mantua 140  95  20 

Urbaua 02  112  4 

Hilton  (precinct) 84  49  4 

Foster  (precinct) 4(;  28  25 

Franklin 00  73  2 

Jackson 08  155  1 

Total 1494  1325  125 


1889. 

Hutchinson.  Boies.      Downing. 

Pleasant 102  150  0 

lUiiir  Creek 128  49  9 

L'nion 105  111  5 

Oedar 07  77  2 

Wavne 35  (>1  1 

(JuiUurd 42  90  0 

Troy 148  80  13 

Albhi.  1st  Ward 101  41  1 

"      2d  Ward 93  47  1 

"      3d  Ward 48  22  0 

"      4tli  Ward 87  52  8 

Manlna 140  93  19 

Frbaiia •'»5  1 10  7 

Monro.' 100  82  5 

Franklin <;3  03  0 

Jackson •     05  134  1 

Total 1385  1268  78 


292  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

In  the  foregoing  tables  tlie  first  column  of  figures 
denote  the  Republican  vote;  the  second,  the  Democratic; 
and  the  third,  the  third  party  vote.  The  figures  given  for 
1892  were  for  presidential  electors. 

At  the  general  election  of  1895,  the  Republican  vote 
for  Governor,  in  Monroe  County,  fell  54  votes  short  of  the 
number  cast  for  the  Lieutenant-Governor  on  the  same 
ticket ;  Parrott  receiving  1421  votes.  During  that  campaign, 
there  was  also  a  Prohibition  vote  in  the  county  of  112  votes. 
A  majority  of  these  were  drawn  from  the  Republican 
party.  There  were  three  county  tickets  in  the  field — viz., 
the  Republican,  Populist,  and  Democratic  tickets.  D.  H. 
Scott,  the  Republican  nominee  for  Representative,  received 
1440  votes;  McCauley,  Populist,  908;  and  Campbell,  Demo- 
cratic, 720. 

In  1894  the  Democrats  and  Populists  of  Monroe  County 
united  their  forces,  but  the  Republicans  carried  the  county 
against  their  combined  vote.  McCahan,  Republican  nominee 
for  Clerk  of  the  District  Court,  received  1727  votes;  and 
Moore,  the  fusion  candidate,  1588  votes. 

In  1893  the  People's  party  took  the  "middle  of  the  road" 
and  nominated  a  county  ticket  of  their  own.  The  vote  that 
year  for  Representative  was:  Jay,  Republican,  1475;  Moss, 
Democrat,  894;  Clarkson,  People's  party,  773. 

In  1892,  also,  there  were  three  local  tickets  in  the  field 
for  a  part  of  the  offices  to  be  filled.  McCahan,  Republican, 
for  Clerk  of  the  District  Court,  received  1483  votes;  Wyatt, 
Democrat,  received  1205;  and  Bates,  People's  party,  524. 
John  R.  Clark  was  elected  Auditor  by  a  fusion  vote  of  the 
People's  party  and  Democrats.  Morrissey  was  also  elected 
Recorder  by  Democrats  and  Populists. 

The  Democrats  and  People's  party  fused  in  1891,  but  the 
Republicans  elected  their  ticket  in  the  face  of  the  united 
opposition.  Jay,  Republican,  received  1601  votes;  and 
Pettit,  fusion  candidate,  1587. 

In  1890  the  Democrats  and  People's  party  advocates 
united  their  strength  against  the  Republicans,  but  were 
defeated  by  the  latter.  The  vote  on  Clerk  of  the  District 
Court  was:  Griffin,  Republican,  1606;  Forster,  fusionist, 
1224. 

Mamiifacturing. 
Monroe  County  contains  one  manufacturing  concern  of 
considerable  magnitude — viz.,  the  Western  Manufacturing 


atSTORT  OF  ilONnohl  COUNTY,  IOWA. 


293 


Ooniitjuiv.  This  plant  is  loc^ited  a(  Albia,  and  was  estab- 
lished in  Jauuaiy,  180").  It  incorj)i)i-at('d  under  the  State 
laws,  with  an  authorized  capital  stock  of  about  $50,000. 
The  amount  paid  in.  however,  falls  below  that  sum.  It  or- 
jjani/cd  with  the  follow inj;-  oflicers:  Fred  Townsend,  presi- 
dent ;  \V.  S.  Scott,  vice-president;  J.  K.  (Mark,  secretary  and 
treasurer;  W.  S.  vScott.  11.  I.  (Mark,  O.  F.  Sniitk,  Chas.  Israel, 
and  E.  C.  Hulbert,  directors. 


WORKS  OF  THH  WESTERN  MAJ^fUFACTrRING  COMHANV,  ALBIA,  IOWA, 

The  plant  was  located  at  Osceida.  Iowa,  prior  to  its 
org;uii/ati«ui  in  Monroe  County,  but  as  this  county  ottered 
better  transi)ortation  and  fuel  facilities,  a  local  or<;ani/.ation 
was  formed  of  Monroe  County  j;entlemen,  the  machinery 
was  broujiht  here  and  incr{*ase<l  facilitit'S  added  to  the  new 
or^'anization.  The  company  builds  a  very  popular  pattern 
of  hay-ricker  and  i-akc;  tiicy  also  manufacture  iron  pumps 
(»f  a  hii;h  ^rade,  and  (»thei'  mechanical  sundiies. 

The  company  has  not  bei'ii  in  (>perati(m  hm;^  enouj;h 
here  to  solve  the  problem  of  whethei-  a  manufacturing;  plant 
will  succeed  in  .Vlbia  or  not.  The  greatest  obstacle  which 
inland  manufacturing;  enterprises  have  to  encounter  is  the 


294 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 


large  establishments  of  the  manufacturing  c;  nt(  rs,  whose  un- 
limited capacit}'  enables  them  to  reduce  all  expenses  to  a 
minimum.  Having-  this  advantage,  they  are  enabled  to 
]>lace  their  products  before  consumers  at  a  price  wliicli  will 
drive  the  smaller  competitor  into  bankruptcy.  The  superior 
merits  of  the  jiroducts  of  the  Western  Manfacturing  Com- 
pany, however,  may  achieve  for  the  company  a  fair  degree  of 
prosperity.  The  concern  usually  employs  from  fifteen  to 
twenty  men.  Its  management  is  in  the  hands  of  staunch 
and  reliable  business  men. 


CAMNING  COMPAKi: 


i'Bv  ;  'n    a 


go  D  D      i  0i  B 


«.---,.,  Js.i 


i^  1   J-  Li  l.. 


ALBIA  CANNING   FACTORY,  ALBIA,  IOWA. 


The  Albia  canning  factory  was  organized  in  1894  as  a 
joint  stock  company,  incorporated  under  the  laws  of  the 
State.  Its  authorized  capital  stock  was  |21,000,  of  which 
amount  |10,500  was  paid  up.  The  company  was  under  the 
management  of  eleven  directors:  E.  W.  Byers,  Ed.  A.  Can- 
ning, John  R.  Duncan,  Max  Loeb,  J.  S.  Moon,  A,  A.  Mason, 
John  Forster,  C.  C.  Acheson,  C.  W.  Small  wood,  J.  C.  Robe- 
son, and  Tom  D.  Lockman.  E.  W.  Byers  was  president, 
Chas.  W.  Smallwood  secretary,  and  J.  S.  Moon  treasurer. 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA.  295 

Owiiip;  to  the  crop  failure  of  1804,  (lie  iiiana^omeut  con- 
cluded to  not  operate  the  factory  that  suninicr.  On  accept 
in<i;  the  i)lant  from  the  contractors,  the  ilircctors  started  the 
niachincrv  to  see  that  cvci-ythinj:;  was  in  j,'oo<l  woi-kin^  oidn-. 
Everything' appcai'cd  satisfactory,  and  the  c(»nipany  received 
tlie  |)hint.  On  stai-lin«j  up  in  ISDH,  for  the  first  time,  it  was 
found  that  the  macliinery,  and  especially  the  enj^ine,  was  not 
set  properly,  and  some  expense  was  incurred  in  readjusting 
it.  A  well  was  also  lackinj;,  also  pipinj;  and  other  fixtures, 
to  supply  all  of  which  cost  the  company  nearly  a  thousand 
dollars. 

The  machinery  for  worlcinj;  corn  did  not  work  satisfac 
torily  the  first  season,,  and  a  lar^e  quantity  of  the  canned 
product  si)oiled.  Then  the  company  paid  the  farmers  more 
for  the  corn  than  the^-  ought  to  have  done  in  order  to  realize 
any  pro  tit  on  it.  The  result  was  that  at  the  end  of  the  first 
season's  operations  the  company  found  itself  $L*.00()  poover 
than  in  the  Iteginning.  This,  with  the  additicmal  outhiy  in- 
cui-red  by  su]»])lying  the  well  and  meeting  other  deticiencies, 
discouraged  the  stockholders,  and  at  a  meeting  it  was  or- 
dered that  the  factory  be  sold  to  j)ay  otf  the  indebtedness. 
It  was  bought  for  $:{,00()  by  Messrs.  John  Kalston,  Max  Loeb, 
.1.  S.  M(K)n,  (i.  H.  Hobs»)n,  Tom  1>.  Lockman.  and  K.  O.  Cramer, 
who  are  the  lu-esent  directors  and  proprietors. 

The  concern  continues  its  charter  as  an  inc  >r]»ora(;'d 
body,  and  its  capital  stock  is  fixed  at  |:5.()(M).  all  of  wliich  is 
fully  paid  up.  It  is  establisliing  itself  on  a  jtrospei-ous  basis 
at  present,  and  is  under  the  management  of  I\.  O.  (.'ramer. 

Albia  also  contains  a  drain-tile  factory,  but  it  is  not  in 
operation  at  the  present  time.  It  is  under  the  management 
of  .1.  W.  Harvey.  It  is  not  in  a  tl  uirishing  condition,  (twing 
to  inability  on  the  jtart  of  the  i)ropiiel(»i-  to  lind  a  steady 
mai'ket  for  the  product  of  the  factory. 


296  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY.  IOWA. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

Towns  and  Villages. 

Albia,  the  present  county  seat  of  Monroe  County,  was 
first  incorportited  as  a  town  in  1856,  tliougti  in  tlie  summer 
of  1845  Jolin  Massy  surveyed  tlie  town  site  wlien  it  was 
known  as  Princeton.  The  place  at  present  contains  a  little 
more  than  2,500  population.  As  we  have  stated  elsewhere, 
John  Stephenson  claimed  the  quarter-section  on  which  the 
village  was  located.  He  was  the  first  settler  in  the  neigh- 
borhood. 

The  original  plat  contained  but  two  wards,  defined  by 
the  alleys  running  north  and  south  from  the  Square  in  the 
center  of  the  plat. 

Joseph  B.  Teas  was  Mayor,  and  Robt.  E.  Craig  was 
Recorder;  Aldermen — East  Ward,  Joseph  H.  Halbrook  and 
Samuel  Buchanan;  West  Ward,  Samuel  Hebrew  and  Daniel 
Mcintosh. 

Mock's  and  Gray's  Additions  were  included  in  1859,  and 
Mason  and  Koontz's,  or  South  Park  Addition,  was  added  in 
1892  or  1893. 

In  1848  the  village  of  Albia  was  chiefly  a  grass-plat. 
The  public  park  in  the  center  of  the  Square  was  a  tangled 
mass  of  wild  grass  and  "shoe-string"  willows.  John  Marck 
and  family  lived  in  a  little  frame  building  on  the  southeast 
corner,  where  the  iVlbia  Union  office  now  stands.  Then  about 
half  way  across  the  Square,  on  the  south  side,  stood  the 
shanty  of  Dr.  Warrick.  On  the  west  were  the  little  sheds 
occupied  by  Messrs.  Park,  Harrow,  and  Buchanan,  On  the 
east  were  Scott  Arnold  and  the  court-house,  and  on  the 
northeast  corner  was  Dan  Richardson's. 

One  block  north  of  the  northeast  corner  of  the  Square, 
on  the  site  owned  for  many  years  by  Dr.  Lambert  stood 
the  little  log  jail.  Just  north  of  the  jail  stood  the  residence 
of  A.  C.  Barnes. 

John  Webb  was  also  one  of  the  first  settlers  of  the  town, 
and  kept  in  his  house  a  small  quantity  of  goods. 

At  the  present  time  the  following  is  nearly  a  complete 
list  of  business  firms  of  Albia: 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  lOMA. 


297 


Anderson  &  Holliugshead,  grocers,  east  side  of  Square; 
the  present  firm  lias  been  doing  business  for  ten  years, 

Kobb  Brothers,  grocers,  east  sid<'  of  Sijuare;  in  business 
for  thirty  years. 

Miss  A.  0.  Young,  general  nnMcliandise,  east  side  of 
Square;  in  business  live  years. 

D.  A.  Maiken,  general  merchandise.,  east  side  of  Square; 
in  business  eight  years. 

W.  K  Hardenbrook.  harness,  buggies,  etc.,  east  side  of 
Square;  in  business  twenty-two  years. 


NORTH  SIDK  SyiARK,  AI.BIA,  IOWA. 

.John  E.  Waugh.  meat  market,  east  side  of  Square;  in 
business  two  years. 

S.  K.  Smith,  barber,  east  side  of  Square;  in  business  ten 
years. 

Chas.  Clavcr,  second-hand  goods,  east  side  of  Stjuare; 
in  l)iisin('ss  twelve  y<'ars. 

Fred  Stucky,  shoemaker,  east  side  of  Scjuarc;  in  busi- 
ness thirty  years. 

W.  W.  Mennch,  bai-bcr.  Itcntun  Street;  in  husines.s 
thirty  years. 


298 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY.  IOWA. 


Anderson  &  Gray,  marble  dealers,  Benton  Street;  in 
business  two  .years. 

T.  S.  Jones,  blacksmith,  Benton  Street;  in  business 
thirty-one  years. 

Henry  Johnson,  meat  market,  Benton  Street;  in  busi- 
ness seventeen  years. 

Samuel  T.  Craig,  grocer,  Benton  Street;  in  business 
fifteen  years. 

J.  O.  Varner,  grocer,  Benton  Street;  in  business  ten 
years. 


KAST  SIDE  SQUARE,  AI^BIA,  IOWA 

E.  Dougherty  &  Son,  furniture  and  undertaking,  north- 
east corner  of  S(iuare;  in  business  twenty -three  years. 

J.  T,  Arnold,  Star  Laundr}',  Main  Street;  in  business 
one  and  one-half  years. 

II.  Simpson,  pumps,  coal,  and  grain.  Main  Street;  in 
business  many  years. 

Chas.  Olson,  general  repairing  and  upholstering.  Main 
Street;  in  business  twelve  years. 

Electric  Light  and  Power  Corapan^^  A.  R.  Jackson,  pro- 
prietor. 


HISTORY  OF  ^fONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 


290 


Royal  A.  Adams,  blacksiiiitli  and  imjdciiu'iils,  Main 
Street.     (See  luither  mention  near  end  of  this  volume.) 

B.  \V.  Crabb,  blacksmith,  Jefferson  Street;  in  business 
one  year. 

().  ('.  Palmer,  livery,  -lelTcrson  Street;  in  business  four 
years. 

L.  A.  MeCreary,  livery  and  feed,  Jefferson  Street,  in  busi- 
ness sixteen  years. 

T.  V.  liallew.  lumber,  Jelferson  Stieet;  in  business  tive 
years. 


WKST  SIDK  SQIAKK.  AI.HIA,  IOWA. 

Jas.  Dyson,  restaurant,  JelVeison  Slieei;  in  business 
six  months. 

Harry  Sniiili.  Mureka  Clioplbtuse.  Wall  Sti-eet;  in  busi- 
ness three  years. 

Thomas  ^^c  Kossei",  ^i-ocers.  Wall  Street  ;  in  business 
ten  years. 

N.  A.  .\n<lers<Mi,  |Mini|is  and  jieneial  re|tairin<,'.  Wall 
Street;  in  business  live  yeai's.  (See  fui-lher  meiilion  near 
end  of  this  v(dume.) 


300  HISTORY  OF  MOifROt]  COUNTY,  lOJVA. 

Mark  M.  Baker,  proprietor,  New  Cramer  Hotel ;  in  busi- 
ness six  months. 

S.  S.  Pill,  restaurant,  Wall  Street;  in  business  two 
years. 

Preston  &  Israel,  merchant  tailors;  in  business  one  year. 

Scott  &  Milligan,  barbers;  in  business  one  year. 

Tobey  &  Anderson,  cigar  manufacturers;  in  business 
three  years. 

W.  A.  Alford,  merchant  tailor;  in  business  one  and  one- 
half  years. 

G.  W.  Hartsuck,  meat  market;  in  business  four  years. 

J.  Roberts,  druggist,  north  side  of  Square;  in  business 
five  years. 

D.  C.  Johnson,  millinery  and  ladies'  furnishing  goods, 
north  side  of  Square;  in  business  five  years. 

Cal  Koontz,  jeweler,  north  side  of  Square;  in  business 
twenty-one  years. 

C.  L.  Nelson,  insurance,  north  side  of  Square;  in  busi- 
ness thirty  j'ears. 

Skean  &  Zook,  furniture  and  undertaking,  north  side 
of  Square;  in  business  five  years. 

E.  Skean,  grocer,  north  side  of  Square;  in  business 
fourteen  years. 

F.  E.  Dawson,  photographer,  north  side  of  Square;  in 
business  two  years. 

Chris.  Rudd,  baker  and  restaurant.  Wall  Street. 

Abe  Goodman,  clothier,  north  side  of  Square;  in  busi- 
ness eight  years. 

W.  H.  Kreger,  bakery,  north  side  of  Square;  in  business 
four  years. 

C.  S.  Barger,  hardware,  north  side  of  Square;  in  busi- 
ness two  years. 

M.  W.  Duncan,  books  and  stationery,  north  side  of 
Square;  in  business  nine  and  one-half  years. 

J.  C.  Morrison,  druggist,  north  side  of  Square;  in  busi- 
ness twenty-nine  years. 

G.  N.  Ewers,  boots  and  shoes;  present  business  two 
years. 

Henry  Varner,  harness-maker,  south  side  of  Square; 
in  business  one  year. 

Joseph  McTnnis,  grocer,  south  side  of  Square;  in  present 
business  one  year. 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 


301 


Curtis  Mock,  Vienna  Bakery,  south  side  of  Square;  in 
luKsiness  two  months. 

K.  O.  Cramer,  dry  goods,  south  side  of  Sijiiare;  in  busi- 
ness twenty-nine  years. 

G.  W,  Cramer,  merchant  tailor,  soutli  side  of  Square;  in 
business  forty-two  years. 

L.  li.  Fuller,  manager  South  Side  Book  Store;  in  busi- 
ness twelve  years. 

S.  M.  Tovrea.  grocer,  south  side  of  Square;  in  business 
four  and  one-half  years.  (See  further  mention  near  the  end 
of  this  volume.) 


SOUTH  SIDE  SQUARE,  ALBIA.  IOWA. 


Acheson  &  Kelly,  grocers,  south  side  of  Square;  in  busi- 
ness four  years. 

S.  S.  Smith,  boots  and  shoes,  south  side  of  Square;  in 
business  twenty-six  years. 

J.  H.  Love,  Jr.,  dry  goods,  west  side  of  Scjuare;  in  busi- 
ness ten  years. 

Wilkin  Brothers,  grocers,  west  side  of  Square:  in  busi- 
ness nine  vears. 


302  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY.  IOWA. 

Ramsay  Realty  Company,  northwest  corner  of  Square; 
in  business  six  months. 

Mrs.  L.  Buff  on,  millinery,  west  side  of  Square;  in  busi- 
ness twelve  years. 

Mrs.  Mary  Clark,  combination  store,  millinery,  general 
merchandise,  wood,  fuel,  fence-posts,  and  material  for  coal 
mines. 

Prizer  Clothing  Company,  Odd  Fellows'  Temple,  west 
side  of  Square;  in  business  three  years.  (See  additional 
mention  near  the  end  of  this  volume.) 

H.  A.  Prizer  &  Brother,  dry  goods.  Odd  Fellows'  Temple; 
in  business  six  years. 

Paulline  &  Son,  tailors,  Odd  Fellows'  Temple,  base- 
ment; in  business  one  and  one-half  years. 

G.  R.  Carden  &  Company,  druggist,  west  side  of  Square; 
in  business  three  years. 

Globe  Clothing  House,  Sol.  Loeb,  proprietor,  west  side 
Square;  in  business  one  year. 

J.  T.  Porter,  cigar-maker,  west  side  of  Square;  in  busi- 
ness four  3^ears. 

Jas.  Pheney,  grocer,  west  side  of  Square;  in  business 
thirty-seven  years. 

W.  N.  Moon  &  Son,  general  merchandise,  west  side  of 
Square;  in  business  twenty-nine  years. 

Max  Loeb,  clothier,  west  side  of  Square;  in  business 
twenty-eight  years. 

J,  T.  Rowe  &  Son,  carpenters,  Benton  Street;  in  busi- 
ness twenty  years. 

Walter  Cokingham,  wagon-maker,  Benton  Street;  in 
business  twenty-seven  years. 

Sparks  &  Rowe,  blacksmiths,  Benton  Street;  in  business 
twenty-six  years. 

Tom  Teas,  blacksmith,  Benton  Street;  in  business  nine- 
teen years. 

Clark  Brothers,  implements,  Benton  Street ;  in  business 
twenty-one  years.  (See  further  mention  near  the  end  of  this 
A-^olume.) 

E.  H.  Wilson,  novelty  store.  Benton  Street;  in  business 
four  months. 

Miss  C.  Hamilton,  millinery,  Benton  Street;  in  business 
six  months. 

Jas.  Stewart,  feed  store,  Main  Street;  in  business  six 
months. 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY.  IOWA.  303 

Wilson  Brothers,  livery  and  feed,  Main  Street;  in  busi- 
ness six  months. 

Saunders  &  Warner,  blacksmiths,  Main  Street;  in  busi- 
ness four  years. 

Ilobson  Brothers,  lumber;  in  business  two  years. 

W.  E.  Whited,  livery;  in  business  ten  years. 

S.  Eaton,  barber,  southwest  corner  of  Square;  in  busi- 
ness six  months. 

Wm.  Peppers,  implements  ;  in  business  twenty-two 
years, 

Albia  State  Bank,  south  side  of  Square;  in  business 
six  years. 

First  National  Bank,  northwest  corner  of  Square;  in 
business  twentj^-five  years. 

Albia  Roller  Mills,  M.  M.  Edward,  proprietor. 

Commercial  Hotel,  one  block  south  of  southwest  corner 
of  Square;  J.  M.  Titus,  proprietor. 

J.  R.  Wallace,  Diamond  Laundry,  near  Central  Depot; 
lately  burned  out. 

The  Semi-Weekhf  Union,  southeast  corner  of  Square;  A. 
R.  Barnes,  publisher  and  proprietor. 

The  Progress-Defender,  Wall  Street;  M.  M.  Hinton,  pub- 
lisher and  jiroprietor. 

The  \eivs,  west  side  of  Square;  Belvel  &  Crenshaw, 
publishers  and  proprietors. 

The  Messenfijer  Publishing:  Company,  west  side  of 
Square. 

Monroe  Countij  Republican,  daily  and  weekly.  Benton 
Street;  S<4)ille  &  Mendal,  }»ublisliers  and  proprietors. 

L,  E.  Lambert,  jeweler;  in  Itnsiness  six  years. 

Cottage  Hotel,"  at  C,  B.  &  Q.  depot;  "Wm.  Campbell, 
proi)rietor. 

Byerley  Hotel,  A.  J.  Byei'ley,  proprietor. 

Albia  Bicycle  Mauufacturin};  Company,  Heiserman  & 
Anderson,  proprictois;  in  ]»usiness  one  year.  (See  further 
mention  near  end  of  (his  volunuM 

Avery. 

The  town  of  Avery  was  established  when  the  C,  B.  &  Q. 
Railway  was  put  throufjh.  in  1S()S.  The  ])resent  ])opiilation 
is  about  400,  but  the  population  varies  acoordinpr  to  the 
condition  of  the  mines,  as  it  is  strictly  a  mining;  town.  The 
houses  are  small  and  unattractive.       The  town  is  five  or 


304 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY.  IOWA. 


six  miles  east  of  Albia,  on  the  Ckieago,  Burlington  & 
Quincy  Railway. 

At  present  the  place  contains  the  following  named 
business  firms: 

Dr.  J.  R.  Cady,  physician ;  eight  years  residence. 

Dr.  Montgomery,  physician,  eleven  years  residence. 

Dr.  A.  M,  Tait,  physician,  five  years  residence. 

Smoky  Hollow  Coal  <Jompany,  eleven  years  in  business. 

Central  Coal  Companj^,  just  opening  up. 


V<;« 


STREET  IN  AVERY   LOOKING  WEST. 

W.  H.  Tedrow,  lawyer  and  insurance;  four  years  in 
business. 

T.  L.  Evans,  general  merchandise;  eight  years  in 
business. 

Hotel,  Mrs.  Ella  Morgan. 

J.  G.  Thayer,  notary  public. 

A.  L.  Criddlebaugh,  barber. 

John  Melcher,  meat  market;  in  business  six  months. 

L.  R.  Pearson,  general  merchandise;  in  business  sixteen 
years. 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA.  305 

The  town  also  contains  a  Methodist  (Mniicli  organization 
and  church,  edifice. 

In  the  vicinity  of  Avery  are  situated  tlu?  Chisholni 
Mines.  They  are  now  about  worked  out,  and  tlie  village  of 
(^hisholm  will  of  coui-se  disappear  with  the  exhaustion  of 
the  coal  supply.  However,  a  n<'w  coal  enterprise  lias  just 
gotten  itself  on  foot  in  the  vicinity,  which  juoniises  to 
develop  into  an  extensive  coal  plant.  Tt  is  known  as  tin.' 
Central  Coal  Company,  and  its  headcpiarteis  are  at  Avery. 
The  mines  are  on  the  Iowa  Central  Railway,  and  the  camj) 
will  be  named  Ivockman,  in  honor  of  Thos.  D.  TiOckman, 
of  the  First  National  Kank  of  Albia.  The  comitany  has 
control  of  about  six  hundred  acre^s  of  coal  lands,  underlaid 
by  a  vein  of  coal  averaging  four  feet  in  thickness.  The 
mines  will  be  operated  by  means  of  a  "slope."  \V\u.  Kvans 
is  president  of  the  company,  p]noch  Evans  treasurer,  and 
Thos.  L.  Evans  secretary.  The  companv  began  operations 
in  1896. 

In  abont  the  year  1870  Avery  was  in  the  zenith  of  her 
prosperity.  The  mines  were  the  most  extensive  of  any  in 
the  county,  and  th<'  miners  made  good  wages. 

They  formed  an  association  and  built  tlie  .Miuers'  In- 
stitute— a  sort  of  e|)itomized  Tamuuiuy  Hall.  Tlie  building 
is  still  used  as  a  public  hall,  but  the  organization  has  gone 
down.  It  was  a  social  club,  and  had  for  its  <d»ject  the 
educational  and  social  improvement  of  the  miners  and  their 
f«amilies.  The  club  had  a  good  library,  and  the  "Institute" 
was  doubtless  beneficial  to  the  miners. 

Hynes  City. 

This  lately  christened  village  lies  one  and  three  fiuirt lis 
mile^s  southe<ist  of  Averv.  The  localitv  is  also  kn(^wn  as 
"Smoky  Hollow." 

Here  the  Smoky  Hollow  (^oal  ('ompany  ojierate  their 
mines.  The  company's  mines  have  a  capacity  of  about 
1000  tons  of  coal  daily.  .1.  L.  Evans  is  at  the  head  of  the 
(•(rncem,  and  the  company  has  been  in  business  eleven  years. 
Faley  Hynes  acts  as  superintendent  of  the  niine,  and  T*.  H. 
Hynes  is  secretary.  Tlie  mines  are  enter<>d  by  two  "slopes," 
and  ventilation  is  supjdied  by  means  of  fans. 

Hynes  City  contains  a  jtopulatiiui  of  from  250  to  ."^OO 
jieople.  The  town  was  i>rojecte<l  in  1S;»L\  when  six  houses 
were  built  by  .loliii  T.  Evans,  and  the  place  increased 
rapidly. 


306  Hlk^TORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

In  1894  the  toAvii  contained  forty  more  houses;  then  the 
town  was  formally  christened  by  Mr,  Horace  Barnes,  of 
the  Albia  Union.  The  place  was  named  in  honor  of  P.  H. 
Hynes,  secretary  of  the  ^^moky  Hollow  Coal  Company  and 
manager  of  the  Avery  Supply  Compan}'.  His  brother, 
Faley  Hynes,  it  is  understood,  comes  in  as  a  joint  sharer 
of  the  honor. 

About  forty  rods  east  of  Hynes  City  is  located  the 
Famous  Coal  Mines,  or  Nos.  1  and  2.  of  the  Smoky  Hollow 
Coal  Company', 

Hynes  City  has  a  large  store  in  its  midst,  owned  by 
the  Avery  Supply  Company;  and  also  a  school-house.  In 
addition  to  these,  there  is  soon  to  be  established  a  black- 
smith shop  and  post-offlce. 

Foster. 

In  1889,  when  the  Marion  and  Kansas  City  Division  of 
the  Chicago,  Milwaukee  &  St,  Paul  Railway  was  completed 
through  Monroe  County,  a  side-track  was  put  in,  near  Soap 
Creek,  and  about  nine  miles  southeast  of  Albia,  The  stop- 
ping-]>lace  was  called  Soap  Creek  Siding,  and  as  soon  as 
Ira  l*hilli])s  and  E,  I.  Foster  began  to  establish  a  coal  plant 
in  the  vicinity,  trains  began  to  stop  regularly;  but  a  station 
had  already  been  established  at  IJromptou,  about  two  miles 
east  of  Foster,  where  the  railroad  company  erected  a  tank 
and  constructed  a  large  reservoir. 

By  the  time  Mr,  Phillips  had  gotten  the  mine  in 
operation,  which  went  by  the  name  of  the  Soap  Creek  Coal 
Company,  several  buildings  had  gone  up,  erected  by  the 
coal  company.  A  large  boarding-house  and  another  equally 
large  store  building  were  erected  among  the  first  by  the 
Ottumwa  Sui)i)ly  Company,  an  auxiliary  of  the  coal  com- 
pany. The  store  was  conducted  as  a  "'company  store," 
issuing  "scri})"  to  the  miners  instead  of  currency.  This 
"scrij)"  was  emitted  in  this  way:  The  coal  company  paid  its 
em])loyees  once  a  month  in  currency.  If  a  miner  needed 
goods  or  provisions  before  pay-day,  and  had  no  credit  with 
merchants  or  cash  with  which  to  buy,  the  coal  company 
would  issue  him  an  amount  of  "scrip,"  the  amount  de])end- 
ing  on  the  account  in  his  favor,  against  the  company,  for 
his  labor.  This  "scrip"  was  current  at  the  company  store, 
in  exchange  for  merchandise.  The  store  was  an  extensive 
concern,  and  handled  all  lines  of  merchandise,  but.  like  all 


nrSTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY.  IOWA. 


307 


"rtmipany  stores."  i(  was  no!  popular  willi  the  pco|)l('.     The 
ui»p('i'  door  of  tlu'  hiiildinj;  was  used  as  a  hall. 

Shortly  after  the  village  bej^au  its  existence  it  was 
christoned  Foster,  in  honor  of  E.  I.  Foster,  of  Cedar  Kapids, 
Iowa,  the  principal  investor  in  the  mine  enterprise.  The 
Messrs.  I'hillips  then  retired  from  the  concern,  but  Henry 
Phillips,  who  was  president  of  the  Ottumwa  Supply  Com- 
l)any,  continued  to  run  the  store;  not,  however,  in  con- 
junction with  the  coal  company.  The  buildin^j  burned 
down  two  or  three  vears  later,  and  was  never  n^built. 


y^ 


A  GLIMI'SK  OK  FOSTER,  LOOKING  WK.Vr. 


While  sinkin;;  the  shaft  in  ISSS  or  ISS!).  a  very  unf(U*tu- 
uate  and  fatal  accident  occurred,  which  attached  to  .Mr. 
Phillips  cousideialde  ill  feeliuj;  in  the  c<Mnmunity.  .Mi-. 
JMiillijJS  was  runninj;  the  hoistinj;  en;;iiie.  an<l  the  half  of 
a  ker<>sene  barrel  was  used  as  a  "budget"  with  which  to 
hoist  the  dirt.  Kd.  Dial  and  Holla  Williams,  two  younj; 
men  working;  in  the  pit,  were  bein*;  hoiste<l  in  the  "bucket" 
to  the  top  of  the  ^M'tun*!;  while  ascendini;  and  passin;; 
throu<;h   the  curbed   aperture  at    the   top,    Williams'   head 


308 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 


Struck  a.  cross-bar  and  he  fell  out  of  the  "bucket,"  down  to 
the  bottom  of  the  pit,  a  distance  of  nearly  200  feet,  and  was 
instantly  killed.  He  was  a  young  man  of  good  family  and 
highly  esteemed,  and  Mr.  Phillips  was  harshly  criticised 


DRUG  STORE  OF  WOODRUFF  &  PABST,  FOSTER,  IOWA. 


It  being  alleged  that  he  did  not  slow  up  the  engine  while 
the  men  were  entering  the  top  of  the  pit.  A  civil  suit 
followed,  being  instituted  by  W.  D.  Kinser,  administrator 


UIST0R7  OF  MONROE  COUNTY.  IOWA. 


309 


of  the  estate  of  the  deceased,  and  a  small  amount  of  dam- 
ages was  awarded  the  plaintiff. 

Foster  now  contains  about  800  population,  the  figures 
val•yinJ,^  accordin<»-  to  tlic  state  of  activity  of  the  mines. 

hi  October,  1801,  U.  \V.  liever,  of  Cedai'  Kapids,  invested 
in  the  uiine,  and  the  company  was  reorganized  with  K.  I. 
Foster  president  and  Chas.  Fugle  nmnager.  The  firm  name 
was  dianged  to  that  of  the  Deep  Vein  Coal  Company,  and 
under  that  name  it  is  at  present  incorporated.  The  plant  has 
a  cai)acity  of  1000  tons  of  coal  daily,  but  from  500  to  T0() 
tons  is  its  usual  daily  ouljnit. 


DHKr  VKIM  COAI<  COMPANY'S  WORKS,  lOSTl.K.  IOWA 

The  company  (diginally  purchased  o20  acres  of  coal 
land,  paying  about  |40  per  acre  lor  it.  Since  then  it  has 
acijuin'd  nearly  that  much  more,  but  has  sold  a  considei* 
able  portion  of  its  surface,  retaining  only  the  coal.  Tin- 
t-ompany  at  the  juesent  time  has  ri-moved  'M)  per  cent  of 
the  <oaI  from  un(h*rneath  its  tract.  The  luUw  is  ventilated 
by  a  fan,  which   foices  down    10,000  cubic   feet  of  air  per 


310  UlkiTOity  OF  MONROE  COUNTY.  IOWA. 

miuute.  The  coal  is  a  superior  grade  of  steam  coal, 
and  the  output  is  sold  in  Iowa,  Miuuesota,  aud  Dakota. 

Most  of  the  buildings  in  Foster  are  owned  by  the  Foster 
Land  and  Town-lot  Company,  a  corporation  said  by  the 
incorporators  to  be  distinct  and  separate  from  the  coal  com- 
pany. Doth  concerns,  however,  bear  the  same  date  of  organi- 
zation, and  E.  1.  Foster  is  president  of  each.  Some  of  the 
coal  land  lately  purchased  was  bought  by  the  Foster  Land 
and  Town-lot  (,V)mpany,  and  the  coal  company  mines  the 
coal. 

The  Deep  Vein  Coal  Company  have  |200,000  invested 
in  the  plant,  and  it  is  next  to  the  largest  in  the  county.  The 
mines  for  the  last  eight  months  have  been  running  on 
nearly  full  time,  and  the  company  has  paid  to  its  employees 
during  the  present  year  |100,000.  The  coal  company  has 
no   "company  store,"  and   pays   its  men   every  two  weeks. 

The  population  of  Foster  is  largely  made  up  of  English 
and  Welsh.  There  are  also  a  number  of  Swedes,  and  a 
few  Italians  and  Scotch.  The  Welsh  are  tine  singers,  but 
many  of  them  are  intemperate.  The  Italians  are  quiet  and 
peaceable,  but  are  fond  of  their  beer.  They  are  quite 
social  among  themselves,  and  about  every  Saturday  night 
congregate  around  a  keg  of  beer.  They  drink  and  sing 
all  night,  but  do  not  affiliate  with  Scotch,  Welsh,  and 
English. 

The  Swedes  are  much  more  quiet,  and  at  the  same 
time  more  temperate.  Those  who  do  drink,  however,  get 
a  quantity  of  raw  alcohol,  sweeten  it,  and  dilute  it  with 
hot  water,  drinking  it  hot.  This  is  the  Swede's  national 
drink.  The  Scotchman  drinks  anything,  from  bay  rum  to 
whisky,  and  never  gets  enough. 

Taken  on  the  whoje,  they  are  all  a  jovial  set  of  fellows, 
and  the  better  one  gets  acquainted  with  them  the  more  he 
likes  them.  They  lead  uncertain  lives  in  the  mines,  and 
every  miner  of  ten  or  twent.y  years'  experience  has  had 
his  injuries  and  miraculous  escapes. 

Foster  is  an  incorporated  town  and  is  an  excellent 
trading  point;  and  boasts  of  a  baseball  team  of  considerable 
local  fame. 

The  Foster  Cornet  Band  ranks  as  one  of  the  best  in 
the  State  of  Iowa.  Mr.  Hughes,  the  pit-boss  of  the  mines, 
is  a  lover  of  music  himself,  and  has  had  opportunity  to 
draw  to  Foster  some  of  the  best  band-])layers  in  the  country. 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 


311 


A  g:oo(l  band-plavcr — and  lliciv  arc  some  ji;ood  oues  aiium^' 
,  the  millers — can  always  secni-c  work  in  the  Foster  mines 
tlu-t)n<;li  Mr.  Hu<;lics.  Foil(»win;i  arc  the  names  (»f  llie 
memlicrs  of  llic  Foster  P.and:  Samncl  Wcbh.  condnctoi-; 
Tlios.  lierdinncr,  clariom  t ;  Samuel  \N'ehl».  solo  clarionet; 
Hold.  Dalzel,  first  cornet;  das.  Dazel,  solo  ( larionet;  Winter 
(liles.  K  flat  cinnet;  dosejdi  Thomas,  first  alto;  llariy  Webl), 
second  alto;  John  Marsluill.  first  trombone;  dolin  Caldwell, 


C,  M.it  ST.  I'AII,   RAILWAY    IKl'STLK.  FOSTKK,  loWA. 

second  trombone;  Kobt.  .Mullit,  tliiid  ti-ombonc;  Win.  Dal/.d. 
eiiplioninm;  Chris.  Thomley.  II  Hat  bass;  .lack  Webb,  K  tiat 
ba.ss;  dohn  Dal/.d.  K  Hat  i>ass;  <i»o.  Sanndcrs,  bass  drum; 
James  Kennedv,  snare  drnm;  Uobeit  nn;;.lies,  jreneial 
manaj^er. 

Foster  at  present  contains  t!ie  followinji  business  tiims: 

Deep  Vein  Coal  Coini)an.v. 

Hilton  Coal  Coinpan.v.  whose  i»Iaiit  is  near  llillttn.  but 
whose  heatbiuarters  are  at  Foster. 

<Miambeilin  i^l:  <\irs(Mi.  ireneial  meithaiidisc 


312  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

R.  M.  Bixby,  hardware  and  tinware, 

Mrs.  Treat,  confectionery, 

Rowles  &  Hickenlooper,  general  merchandise, 

Wilson  Brothers,  general  merchandise, 

G,  W,  Buck,  meat  market. 

Rupert  Brothers,  grocers, 

Trussell  &  Eslinger,  lumber,  implements,  hardware,  and 
banking, 

Wm.  Miller,  general  merchandise,  restaurant,  and  livery, 

Mrs,  France  Jones,  hotel. 

Mrs.  Bowley,  hotel  and  boai'ding-house. 

McCoy  Brothers,  livery  and  draying. 

Furgason,  racket  store. 

Woodruff  &  Pabst,  drugs  and  stationers,  (See  further 
mention  near  end  of  this  volume,) 

Alex  Reed,  barber, 

Richard  Williams,  justice  of  the  peace. 

Frank  Hawk,  Mayor  and  post-master. 

C.  P.  Jones,  blacksmith  and  wagonmaker. 

Blucher  Hutchins,  blacksmith. 

J.  H.  Treat,  coal  company  blacksmith. 

Foster  has  two  churches,  with  a  large  membership  in 
each.  They  are  the  Baptists  and  Methodists,  The  Baptists 
erected  a  commodious  church  edifice  in  1891-2,  It  burned 
in  1894,  and  in  189.5  a  new  structure  was  completed,,  which 
is  a  handsomer  building  than  the  first,  and  would  be  a 
credit  to  any  locality,  Thej-  also  built  a  parsonage  for 
their  pastor. 

Foster  is  twenty-three  miles  southwest  of  Ottumwa. 
There  is  an  unlimited  supply  of  coal  in  the  vicinity,  and  it  is 
quite  probable  that  other  coal  enterprises  will  soon 
spring  up. 

Blakeshurg. 

This  village  is  one  of  the  oldest  hamlets  in  the  county. 
It  was  named  in  honor  of  Theophilus  Blake,  who,  with 
Cyrus  Vancleve,  laid  out  the  town  in  1850.  The  greater 
portion  of  the  town  lies  in  Wapello  County. 

The  first  white  woman  who  ever  resided  in  Blakesburg, 
or  on  the  spot  where  the  town  now  stands,  wa.s  a  Mrs. 
Smith,  who,  on  the  death  of  her  husband,  married  Len 
Daggett.  She  lived  on  the  present  site  of  Blakesburg  a 
whole  year  before  she  saw  another  white  woman.     Some 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 


313 


of  Mrs.  Smith's  children  and  j^randchildren  still  live  iu 
Urbana  Township.  She  was  the  grandmother  of  Elraer 
Thayer's  present  wife, 

'since  the  ('.,  M.  &  St.  Paul  Kailway  was  built  tlirough 
the  town,  it  has  jirowii  considerably,  and  larji;*'  sliii)nit'nts 
of  live  stock  are  made  all  the  year  round. 

lUakesbui'ji;  is  growino-  rapidly  and  the  town  is  sur- 
rounded by  a  prosi)erous  community.  A  handsome  ^:{,000 
school  bnildinp:  is  now  in  ]ir()cess  of  erection,  besides  other 


■##^^" 


.TRi:Kr   IN  BLAKESBl'RG. 


buildinjjj  imjM(»vements.  The  town  has  about  400  inhabit- 
ants, and  it  is  not  an  incorporated  \  illa<;e.  There  ai'e  lar<;e 
bodies  of  <-oal  lyinj;  along  Avei-y  Creek,  two  or  three  miles 
north  of  the  town,  which,  when  devel<>|»ed,  will  <loubtles8 
nmke  the  town  one  of  consid«'rable  importance. 

Following  is  a  list  of  the  business  firms  doing  business 
in  lUakesburg  in  iSOd. 

(J.  Ti.  Hednion,  restaur;iiil ;  in  business  three  years. 

L.  Campbell  &  Son.  diuggists;  in  Itusiness  f(»ur  years. 


314  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

M.  H.  Abernathy,  general  ineicliandise;  in  business 
three  3'ears. 

C  N.  Thompson,  moat  marlcet;  in  business  twenty-six 
years. 

Wm.  Angel,  hotel;  in  business  two  months. 

Wilson  &  Durby,  general  merchandise;  just  beginning 
business. 

Frank  Fritz,  hardware;  in  business  two  years. 

Wm.  Fritz  &  Brother,  general  merchandise,  lumber  and 
implements;  in  business  ten  j^ears. 

Wm.  Rowe,  blacksmith;  in  business  sixteen  years. 

Chas.  Reading,  blacksmith;  in  business  sixteen  years, 

Geo.  Chedister,  barber;  in  business  three  3'ears. 

A.  V.  Tinsley,  livery;  in  business  four  years. 

David  Zigler,  saw  and  planing  mills;  in  business  five 
years. 

W.  H.  Kolman,  hardware;  in  business  three  years. 

Henry  Weidman,  boots  and  shoes;  in  business  seven 
years. 

Mrs.  Harrington,  hotel;  in  business  one  year. 

John  F.  Lober,  harness  and  groceries;  in  business 
seven  years. 

Mrs,  Semiramis  Barnes,  a  young  widowed  lady,  has 
held  the  office  of  postmistress  during  the  Cleveland  admin- 
istration. Blakesburg,  in  this  particular,  has  been  most 
fortunate,  as  the  present  postmistress'  predecessor  was  a 
young  lady.  Miss  Effie  Reading. 

Blakesburg  lias  two  churches  and  three  doctors.  Dr. 
C.  N.  Udell  is  one  of  the  most  successful  practitioners  in 
Monroe  and  Wapello  counties.  He  is  also  a  preacher,  poli- 
tician, writer,  philosopher  and  sage.  Drs.  Ray  and 
Torrence  are  each  skillful  physicians. 

The  Baptist  Church  built  an  edifice  two  years  ago,  and 
has  about  oO  members.  Rev.  Garrison  is  in  charge.  The 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church  erected  a  building  about  eight 
years  ago.  Its  membership  is  about  half  a  hundred.  Rt'V. 
Ingham  is  in  charge  of  the  congregation  at  present. 

Hilton. 

Hilton  was  originally  a  flag-station  about  midway 
between  Albia  and  Moravia  on  tlie  C,  M,  &  A.  Railway, 
It  contained  a  ])ost-office,  and  in  189;{  or  1894  H.  Herrington 
started  a  small  store  and  ran  it  for  a  year  or  more.     At  the 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA.  815 

present  time  there  is  a  prospect  of  tke  place  takiiij?  a 
boDiu,  as  a  coal  coiui»aiiy  lias  sccuicd  an  option  on  a  larj;e 
IkmIv  of  cDal  land  in  the  viciiiilv,  comprising'  100  at-rcs,  w  liicli 
l)V  llioroujili  drilling-  was  found  to  contain  on  an  avcra^n- 
tivc  feet  of  ct)al,  at  a  depth  of  1*15  feet,  where  the  shaft  is 
located.  The  i>resent  shaft  has  a  capacity  of  :>00  tons  daily. 
The  company  is  known  as  the  Hilton  Coal  Company, 
with  headquarters  at  Foster.  The  company's  lands  abut 
apiinst  the  Iowa  Central  Railway.  Tlie  town  has  been 
platted,  and  already  contains  seven  houses.  The  company 
was  incorporated  danuary  1.  ISIMJ,  with  a  capital  of  fUn.lHJO, 
f4,000  of  which  has  been  paid  in.  L.  A.  Chamberliji  is 
president,  A.  L.  \\'iij;ht  vice-president,  and  A.  K.  Cluunberlin 
treasurer.  The  present  town  plat  is  about  a  half-mile  east 
of  the  station  or  platform. 

Melrose. 

^lelrose  has  about  500  pojtulalion,  and  is  fifti^en  miles 
west  of  Albia  (ui  the  C.,  1>.  cV:  Q.  Railway.  It  is  situated  in 
the  midst  of  a  (.'atholic  c(nnmunity,  and  the  name  itself 
has  an  Irish  riny;  to  it,  like  Tyrone. 

The  site  of  Melrose  was  tirst  claimed  by  John  Drew, 
in  1847;  but  the  town  was  not  laid  out  until  ISOtJ. 

In  1857  the  tirst  school  was  taught  in  the  town  by 
Sarah  Rrindle,  and  the  next  year  a  commodious  school- 
house  was  built.  The  first  store  was  started  by  T.  ( \  Stewart 
in  1800.  In  I8(;i  the  post-office  was  established,  with  .1.  \K 
S.  Teacock  as  postmaster. 

Among  the  earlier  settlers  were  A.  D.  r.rown.  .1.  P. 
Currier,  T.  C,  Stewart,  -1.  Davenport,  John  McCoy,  Adam 
Voutsey,  Wm.  (Jilbert,  Willis  C.ilbert.  Win.  Iternard,  .1. 
Robins(Ui,  Pat  Coa<ly,  and  Orson  Class. 

Fiillowing  is  an  enuineiation  of  the  business  lirms  of 
Melrose  in  18!k;: 

Sumner  Smith,  n(>t;iry,  pension  agent,  and  insuiimce; 
in  business  twenty-two  yeais. 

W.  R.  Rriles  &  Comjtany  (W.  R.  Rriles  and  D.  Riordau). 
druggists  and  |diarniacists;  in  business  four  years. 

Jas.    Duggan.    ]»ostmaster   and    merchant;   in    business 
since  1881. 
•     Thomas  Rrandon,  banker;  established  in  1881. 

L.  Lemly  iV:  Son,  hardwai-e  and  farm  implements;  in 
business  five  vears. 


316  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

Geo.  Sone,  breeder  and  importer  of  thoroughbred 
stallions. 

Wm.  Ford,  blacksmithing;  in  business  twenty-two  years. 

F.  L.  Sailing,  harnessmaker. 

M.  D.  Sullivan,  general  merchandise  and  justice  of  the 
peace;  in  business  sixteen  years. 

J.  C.  O'Conner,  druggist;  oldest  druggist  in  Monroe 
County — in  business  twenty-five  years. 

A.  G,  Paschal  &  Son,  general  merchandise;  in  business 
fifteen  years. 

W.  S.  Curry,  groceries,  boots  and  shoes;  in  business 
one  year. 

Cleveland  Hotel,  Mrs.  S.  W.  Albert,  proprietor;  in 
business  ten  years. 

Providence  Hotel,  P.  G.  Dever,  proprietor;  in  business 
two  years. 

J.  P.  Currier  &  Son,  meat  market  and  grain ;  in  business 
four  years. 

Western  Exchange  Hotel,  C.  H.  Whelan,  proprietor. 

Mary  Heffron,  millinery  and  dressmaking. 

Riordan  &  Blair;  in  business  two  years. 

A.  O.  Lee,  lumber ;  in  business  thirty  years. 

Wm.  Lahart,  general  merchandise;  in  business  twenty 
years. 

P.  C.  Murphy,  bakery  and  confections. 

W.  W.  O'Bryan,  attorney  at  law  and  notary. 

Stacy  ville. 

This  hamlet  is  seven  miles  north  of  Melrose,  and  con- 
tains the  principal  Catholic  church  in  Monroe  County. 

East  of  Stacyville,  three  miles,  is  the  hamlet  of  George- 
town, and  Tyrone  is  south  of  Georgetown  and  nine  miles 
west  of  Albia. 

W^est  of  Albia  three  miles  are  located  the  once  bustling 
coal  mines  known  as  Cedar  Mines,  now  about  extinct.  The 
Cedar  Valley  and  Albia  coal  companies  had  their  plants 
here. 

Frederic. 

This  village  is  located  on  the  Chicago,  Burlington  & 
Quincy  Railway,  about  four  miles  east  of  the  town  of  Avery, 
and  about  two  miles  south  of  what  was  once  the  village  of 
"Business  Corners."       The  town  was  laid  out  by  Messrs. 


BISTORT  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA.  3 1 7 

Hale  and  Hamilton  when  tho  railroad  was  built.  The  place 
was  named  in  honor  of  Frederick  Joy,  a  fornici-  pn^sidcnl  of 
the  B.  &  M.  Railroad. 

The  villajie  (M>ntains  ixM-liaps  150  people,  and  those  en 
gaged  at  present  in  business  ar**: 

IlaAAthorn  «&  Hansel,  general  merchandise;  in  business 
six  months. 

S.  A.  Worley,  blacksmithing  and  implement  dealer;  in 
business  four  years. 

Akers  Grocery  Company,  gencial  merchandise;  in  busi 
ness  three  years. 

Reeyes  &  Company,  general  merchandise;  in  business 
iwo  years. 

Groye  Brothers,  general  merchandise;  in  business 
t\yenty-eight  years. 

Frederic  Coal  Company,  controlled  by  Chas,  Akers, 
who  has  an  option  on  the  plant  and  eighty  acres  of  land. 

Hiteman. 

The  town  of  Hiteman  is  the  largest  town  in  Monroe 
County  outside  the  city  of  Albia.  At  present  (189l>)  the 
place  contains  a  population  of  between  1400  and  1500,  and 
is  situated  on  Cedar  Creek,  six  miles  northwest  of  Albia. 
The  town  was  platted  September  1.  1800.  The  location  is 
broken  and  was  selected  more  to  suit  the  conyenience  of  the 
Wapello  Coal  Company  than  with  a  yiew  to  symmetry  or 
beauty.  The  population  is  made  up  almost  exclusiy«'ly  of 
miners.  They  consist  of  Americans,  English,  Welsh,  Swedes, 
Scotch,  Germans,  and  negroes.  The  negro  population  oc- 
cupy the  southern  part  of  the  town. 

Thosi'  engaged  in  business  in  Hiteman  in  July,  180<». 
were : 

A\'.  A.  Doyenspike,  Hiteman  Hotel;  in  business  two 
years. 

W^ni.  !Morrissey,  postmaster. 

Dr.  McFall,  physician;  in  business  two  years. 

B.  O.  Meadows,  barber;  in  busin«>ss  two  years. 

Hiteman  Supply  Company.  .1.  I*.  Karly,  manager;  in 
business  six  years. 

Sam  White,  blacksmith  and  wagon  maker;  in  business 
one  and  one-half  years. 

^Vm.  Kennedy,  livery;  in  business  tW(»  ami  one  half 
years. 


318  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

Wapello  Coal  Company;  in  business  six  years. 

J.  W.  Loach,  restaurant  and  bakery;  in  business  two 
yefirs. 

Drs.  Avery  and  Palmquest,  physicians;  Dr.  Avery  has 
been  located  three  years,  and  Dr.  Palmquest  three  months. 

Mrs.  Olive  James,  millinery  and  dressmaking;  in  busi- 
ness four  years. 

Dr.  W.  O.  McFall,  physician;  in  business  three  years. 

Dr.  Fred  A.  Poligue,  physician;  in  business  one  year. 

The  fraternal  institutions  are  also  well  represented. 


WAPELLO  COAL  COMPANY'S  WORKS,  ALBIA,  IOWA. 

In  ISJ).'*)  the  Freemasons  established  a  lodge,  known  as 
Perfect  S(]uare  Lodge,  No.  .52(1.  Thos.  liridges  is  at  present 
worshi})ful  master;  Sam'l  Chase,  senior  warden;  Owen 
Re<-se,  junioi-  warden;  J.  W.  Lewis,  treasurer;  W.  F.  Narber, 
s(M-i-(4ai'v;  J.  J.  Davis,  senior  deacon;  David  Jeffreys,  junior 
deacon;  W.  IT.  Thomas,  senior  steward;  Alf.  Neighbors, 
junior  steward;  W.  L.  Morgan,  tyler.  The  order  has  no 
building,  but  has  a  lease  on  tlie  T.  O.  O.  F.  Hall. 

The  Knights  of  Pythias  brought  their  organization  from 
Kirksville,  Iowa,  and  have  been  firmly  established  in  Hite- 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA.  310 

iiijin  ever  since.  Their  ()i-<;;i!ii/.;ili()ii  isslvled  Kielil;in<l  Lodj^e, 
Xi).  1")!.      Tliev  have  lOS  meinhers. 

The()<l«l  FeHows  <)i-j;aiii/.e(l  in  1S!)4.  They  have  7I>  mein- 
hers. and  their  lod^c  is  known  as  the  Iliteinan  Lod^n-,  NO  ~AS. 
Tlu'  present  otTicers  are:  .J.  U.  Nelson,  X.  (I.;  Ed.  (A  Moses, 
vice-jiiand;  J.  II.  Mr-Aiiley,  recording  secret.ary;  I'eter  N. 
Swanson,  permanent  secretary;  and  Wm.  Wild,  treiisnrcM*. 
The  t)dd  Fellows  have  a.  large  two-story  frame  bnilding 
nearly  completed.  The  lower  Hoor  will  const  it  nte  an  opera 
hall,  and  the  npper  one  will  be  titled  np  for  a  lodge  room. 
The  hall  is  S()X."{(!  feet  in  dimensions. 

The  liiteman  Sn[»ply  Company  is  by  far  the  most  ex- 
tensive mercantile  lirm  in  Monroe  County.  The  concern 
was  incoriK)rated  in  1800,  and  is  in  reality  an  auxiliary  of 
the  Wapello  Coal  Company.  It  is  a  corporate  concern,  with 
an  authorized  ca]»ital  stock  of  |5().()(!0,  and  has  issued  stock 
to  tile  amount  of  .•?:U),0()0.  J.  C.  I'easley,  president  of  the 
Wapell  )  Coal  Company,  is  i)resident  of  the  liiteman  Supply 
Company,  H.  L.  Waterman  is  vice-president,  S.  A.  Corey 
secretary  and  treasurer,  J.  1*.  Early  manager,  and  O.  L.  Can- 
ning cashier.  The  following  jK'rsons  assist  as  salesmen: 
Chiis.  Peterson,  John  Spar,  Miss  Henrietta  Dinsmore,  John 
Morgan.  Thos.  Uarker,  Ed.  Early.  AV.  S.  Scott,  and  I.  T.  Wil 
Hams.  The  store  building  is  4Sx!M)  feet  in  dimensions,  and 
the  firm  handles  every  line  of  goods  fiom  lumber  to  nutmegs. 

The  Wapello  Coal  Company  was  incoii»oiate(l  in  ISSO. 
with  an  authorized  cai)ital  stock  of  ^!MM),0()0,  but  only 
^T.'{(),00()  has  been  issued.  J.  C.  Peasly,  of  Chicago,  is  presi 
dent,  H.  L.  Waterman  vice-i)resident.  and  II.  E.  Jarvis,  of 
r.urlington,  secretary.  The  company  owns  about  Ti. .")()() 
arres  of  coal  land  in  the  vicinity,  which  cost  the  company 
about  |!-4  ]»er  acre  on  an  aveiage.  The  workable  coal  aver- 
ages.") feet  in  thickness,  and  the  c(nnpany  has  removed  about 
10  i>er  cent  of  its  coal.  The  C..  M.  «S:  Q.  Il;iilway  consiimes 
the  entire  output  of  the  |)lant.  The  comitany  has  [uiid  to  its 
employees  during  the  ju-esent  year  :$L*.~>0.000.  and  the  average 
net  earnings  of  a  miner  is  about  !|r)00  |)er  year.  The  shaft  is 
lOO  feet  in  (h-pth.  and  there  aie  about  4.'tO  men  employed  in 
the  mines. 

Only  one  vein  of  c  »al  is  worked  al  llilfmau.  Tlie  daily 
tapacity  of  the  jdant  is  1.000  tons,  and  the  <laily  output  aver- 
ages about  SOO  t(Uis.  The  <(»mpany  have  a  "tail  rope"  system 
in  the  mines,  and  have  two  fans  for  ventilation  purposes. 


320  HISTORY  OF  HON  ROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

The  fans  send  down  about  90,000  cnbic  feet  of  air  per  minute. 

The  following  persons  have  charge  of  the  mines:  Phil 
Waterman  and  his  father,  Sen.  H.  L.  Waterman,  civil  en- 
gineers; mechanical  engineers,  John  Zentz  and  Thomas 
McGuire;  hoisting  engineer,  L.  S.  Cousins;  pit-boss.  W.  B. 
Powell;  inside  foremen,  Wm.  Barkwell  and  Owen  Reese; 
top-boss,  ]\Iark  Greeley;  blacksmiths,  R.  D.  Morgan  and  A. 
L.  Hirst. 

The  company  contemplates  sinking  another  shaft  this 
year,  about  a  mile  north  of  the  present  one,  and  similar  to  it 
in  extent  and  plan. 

Wherever  there  is  a  mining  camp  there  is  a  large  Welsh 
population.  In  a  camp  of  say  1000  population  there  are 
about  a  half-dozen  different  families  by  the  name  of  Thomas; 
then  there  are  about  an  equal  number  of  Jameses,  Morgans, 
Lewises,  Williamses,  Reeses,  Hugheses,  Llewellyns,  and 
Joneses;  these  are  all  names  very  common  among  the  Welsh. 
On  account  of  so  man^^  different  families  bearing  the  same 
name,  it  is  customary  in  Wales,  in  writing  a  person's  name, 
to  affix  to  his  name  the  first  name  of  his  father,  and  to  that 
of  his  father,  the  name  of  his  father.  For  instance,  in  writing 
John  Morgan's  name  the  Welsh  word  "ap"  follows  it,  "ap" 
meaning  ''son  of" — thus,  John  Morgan  ap  Gomer  ap  Owen; 
Gomer  and  Owen  being  the  father  and  grandfather,  respect- 
ively, of  John  Morgan, 

Wherever  these  Welsh  names  are  found  in  a  community 
you  may  expect  a  musical  neighborhood.  The  towns  of 
Hiteman  and  Foster  contain  a  large  number  of  very  fine 
singers,  some  of  whom  have  been  educated  in  some  of  the 
best  musical  schools  in  Europe.  For  several  years  the  Hite- 
man Glee  Club  has  maintained  the  reputation  of  being  one 
of  the  best  glee  clubs  in  the  State. 

The  town  supports  a  very  fine  cornet  band.  Following 
is  a  list  of  the  nlembers:  Jas.  Amsbury,  leader;  Wm.  Phil- 
lips, cornet;  P.  C.  Williams,  clarionet;  Hugh  Williams, 
alto;  Geo.  Darby,  alto;  Henry  Longacre,  trombone;  John 
Neighbor,  trombone;  Frank  Laundeen,  2d  cornet;  Jack 
Cooper,  tuba;  Jack  O'Holland,  bass  drum;  Lincoln  Hirst, 
2d  cornet;  Thos.  Williams,  snare  drum;  Andrew  Johnson, 
tuba;  Jas.  Wild,  baritone;  Wm.  Morrissey,  B  bass. 

In  1892  the  School  Board  of  Hiteman  built  a  nice  frame 
school-house.  The  main  building  is  30x60  feet,  with  a  wing 
2Cx3G  feet. 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA.  321 

Hitcnian  contains  six  rliiirch  orj^Mnizalions — viz.,  tho 
Baptist,  (^)nj;i-('«;ati()nal,  Swedish  Kutlicran,  Swcdisli  Mctli- 
odist,  Wi'lsh  llaptist,  and  CoIoiimI  I'.aptisl. 

The  Baptists  orjiani/iMl  and  huilt  a  clmrcli  stiiiclurc  in 
]804.  Tlu'bnildin-:  isL'Sx(;o  feet.  Krv.  .MclJowdl  or-ranizcd 
tlie  congregation. 

The  ('on<;re}4alit)nal  Chni'ch  was  orj^ani/.ed  by  Kev.  NVni. 
Thomas,  and  a  dmich  editice  erected  in  ISOU.  The  chnrch  is 
made  np  larjiely  of  Welsh,  and  the  i>i-esent  membership  is 
abont  forty.  Kev.  Owen  Thomas,  the  present  pastor,  has 
been  i>reachin<.;-  for  tlu'  class  foi-  two  yeai's. 

The  Swedish  Lutheran  Church  was  orjiani/,ed  in  1S03. 
They  have  a  small  church  editice.  Rev.  ]>.  M.  (Ilyn  is  the 
present  pastor.  He  also  conducts  a  day  school,  teaching  the 
Swedish  lanj;:uaire. 

The  Swedish  ^Methodists  were  or<;anized  by  Rev.  Erics- 
son in  1S02.  He  has  charjje  of  the  conj^refjation  at  present. 
This  orjianization  has  al)out  oO  members.  ThoA'  own  a 
chnrch  bnildinji.  lSx2S  feet. 

The  Welsh  Baptists  built  a  chnrch  in  1S02.  10x20  feet 
in  dimensions.  Their  orjxanization  contains  twenty-five 
members.     Rev,  D.  R.  Morjjan  is  their  pastor. 

The  Colored  Baptists  orjjanized  in  ISOO.  They  consist 
of  about  in  members. 

But  the  one  institution  of  the  t()\vn  whicli  inspires  the 
citizens  of  Hiteman  with  intense  pride  is  the  lliteman  Base- 
ball Nine.  B  swathes  the  town  in  a  tlood  of  u;lorv,  and  the 
fii-st  thinj;  the  citizen  s]»eaks  about,  in  welcoming  a  visitor  to 
the  place,  is  the  immortal  nine.  He  will  tell  yon  that  the 
club  have  lost  but  two  jjames  in  two  years.  The  roster  of 
this  };lorions  band  is  as  follows:  Dr.  ^IcFall.  manajrer; 
Wm.  Everett,  cai»tain;  Wes  Blad},^ett,  i»itcher;  Henry  Dins- 
more,  ri<;ht  tield:  -las.  L.  Baxtei-,  centei'  field;  Edmund 
Thomas,  left  field:  Roe  Tuiience.  tirst  base:  \V\u.  Tiley, 
secoiul  base;  and  Wm.  Stephenson,  third  base. 


322  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 


CHAPTER  XVIIl. 

Some  Battles  with  the  "■Hairy  Nation^ 

The  next  dearest  thing  to  the  heart  of  the  citizen  of 
the  "Hairy  Nation,"  after  a  drink  of  whisky  at  Harrow's, 
was  a  free-for-all  fight.  Every  man  of  them  was  a  warrior. 
They  did  not  fight  so  much  through  provocation  or  on 
account  of  any  desire  to  avenge  any  imagined  grievance,  but 
they  fought  merely  for  recreation.  They  loved  it.  It  was 
a  race  peculiarity. 

They  did  not  all  inhabit  the  eastern  portion  of  the 
county,  for  there  were  a  few  in  the  northern  part.  The 
Goodwins  and  Gladsons  lived  in  Bluff  Creek  Township, 
but  they  were  not  loyal  to  the  Mantua  crowd.  They  did 
not  belong  to  the  "Nation." 

At  that  time.  Soap  Creek  had  not  yet  come  to  the  front 
as  a  fighting  nation.  The  Kinser  clan,  however,  were  "good 
men,"  and  whenever  they  felt  inclined  to  take  a  little  recre- 
ation, they  came  to  Albia  to  fight  with  the  Gladson-Goodwin 
crowd  against  the  Tyrrell-Judson  gang.  They  were  allies 
of  the  Goodwin  gang. 

In  1851  Geo.  Cramer  was  clerking  for  A.  C.  Wilson. 
The  North  and  South  met  and  united  their  forces  against 
the  "Hairy  Nation."  When  the  braves  began  to  assemble, 
Geo.  Cramer  instinctively  barricaded  the  store  door,  by 
running  a  heavy  bar  across  the  entrance.  At  length  an 
assailing  party  came  round  to  the  store,  found  it  locked, 
and  then  they  tried  to  break  in  the  door.  In  vain  they  threw 
their  weighty  bodies  against  it  to  break  it  in.  Old  Billy 
Kinser,  father  of  W.  D.  Kinser,  of  Moravia,  was  among  those 
inside  the  store,  and  probably  induced  Cramer  to  open  the 
door  to  hasten  on  the  "festivities."  At  any  rate,  young 
Cramer,  who  was  about  18  years  of  age,  raised  the  portcullis, 
and  the  besieging  party  rushed  in.  There  was  a  barrel  of 
ax-handles  in  the  room,  and  each  party  seized  one.  The 
crowd  was  fighting  mainly  among  themselves,  probably  just 
to  keep  in  good  fighting  trim  whenever  the  Northern  band 
put  in  an  appearance.  Bill  Kinser  got  an  ax-handle,  and 
used  it  in  a  free-and-easy  manner  among  the  crowd,  knocking 
one  of  the  Judsons  flat  on  the  floor.     Cramer  mounted  the 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA.  323 

counter  with  an  ax-handle,  and  whcucvt'r  a  member  of  the 
crowd  of  combatants  circh'd  within  rt'ach  i)i'  his  ax-handh', 
the  handle  came  down  wilhout  stint  on  the  hirsntc  cranium 
of  the  Mantuan. 

In  1858  Geo.  Cramer  was  (U'puty  sherilV  of  Monro*- 
County.  Some  of  the  Judsons  had  been  "pulled"  for  getting 
too  hilarious  at  Harrow's  saloon.  Henry  Judson,  when 
arrested,  gave  bond  for  his  appearance  in  justice's  court, 
but,  on  the  day  set  for  the  trial,  neglected  to  appear. 
Cramer  went  down  to  the  "Nation"  to  arrest  him.  When 
he  brought  his  prisoner  through  Cuba,  a  crowd  of  the 
'*Hairy  Nation"  arose  and  rescued  their  fellow-chieftain 
from  the  officer.  Captain  Saunders  happened  to  be  at  Cuba 
that  day,  and  with  his  assistance  Cramer  rearrested  his 
man,  and  while  he  held  the  crowd  at  bay  with  a  brace  of 
pistols,  Saunders  loaded  the  prisoner  into  the  buggy  and 
away  they  drove  towards  Albia,  followed  by  a  cavalcade 
of  the  mob,  shouting  and  tiring  their  pistols  at  evn'j  jump 
of  their  nags.  The  pursuers  and  pursued  kept  up  a  running 
fire  until  they  reached  Albia.  While  the  piisoner  was 
being  conducted  towards  the  office  of  Wm.  Davis,  the  justice 
of  the  peace,  an  attempt  was  again  made  to  rescue  him. 

There  were  the  Tyrrells  and  Judsons  and  other  braves 
of  the  "Nation''  among  the  attacking  party,  and  ^lart 
Giltner,  George  Knight,  Oliver  Garrott,  William  Boals, 
Tom  Tucker,  and  others  among  the  crowd  of  "minute  men." 
George  Knight  used  a  pitchfork,  Geo.  Cramer  his  fists  and 
a  revolver.  Captain  Saunders  his  fists.  Tom  Tucker  an  ax- 
handle,  and  others  used  clubs.  One  of  the  Judsons  ripped 
open  Wm.  Boals'  shirt-collar  with  a  big  knife,  and  while 
Tom  Tucker  was  shoving  Laurel  Tyrrell  into  the  jail  door, 
the  latter  kicked  backward,  striking  Tom  on  the  chin  and 
knocking  out  two  of  his  teeth.  Milt  Smith  hit  one  of  the 
Tyrrells  on  the  head  with  a  brickbat,  and  the  crowd  thought 
the  man  was  killed. 

The  "Hairy  Natiim"  was  finally  whi|tped  in  the  fight, 
and  the  prisoner  was  gotten  to  the  justice's  office,  and  prob- 
ably re-fined,  and  others  of  the  party  were  lodged  in  jail. 

At  another  time  he  was  want*"*!  for  some  slight  offense. 
George  Cramer  went  to  bring  him  in.  He  located  him  in 
the  woods,  chopping  away  at  a  big  tree.  When  the  tree 
was  about  ready  to  fall,  Cramer  appioached  him  fr<^m  the 
rear.     He  did  not  see  the  officer  until  he  was  within  a  few 


324  HISTORY  OF  3WNR0E  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

feet  from  him.  Judsoii  then,  on  discovering  him,  made  a 
jump  for  his  rifle,  which  leaned  against  a  neighboring  tree; 
but  before  he  could  cock  it,  Cramer  had  him  covered  with 
a  revolver.  Captain  Saunders  was  also  with  Cramer,  and 
the  three  started  for  Albia,  going  through  a  field,  Judson 
w\anted  to  go  by  way  of  Cuba,  but  was  told  that  his  captors 
had  had  a  little  experience  with  him  not  long  before,  and 
that  they  thought  it  best  to  leave  the  village  on  their 
route. 

While  going  through  the  field,  Judson  inquired  what 
they  would  do  if  he  concluded  to  not  go  any  further.  '  Cramer 
told  him  they  would  simply  make  him  go.  Then  he  laid 
down,  and  would  not  move.  Cramer  had  a  rope  on  his 
horse;  with  this  he  tied  Judson,  and,  attaching  one  end  to 
the  horn  of  the  saddle,  the  procession  proceeded  a  short 
distance,  when  the  prisoner  concluded  to  go  along  volun- 
tarily. 

Old  man  Strickland  was  also  a  ''good  man."  He  lived 
a  few  miles  north  of  Albia,  and  whenever  he  felt  an  inclina- 
tion to  "clean  out  the  town,"  his  first  warlike  preparation 
was  to  pull  off  his  shirt.  One  day  he  was  out  in  the  streets 
of  Albia,  preparing  to  engage  the  crowd  in  battle,  but  in 
removing  his  shirt  he  neglected  to  unbutton  the  wristbands. 
He  got  the  garment  over  his  head,  but  his  hands  would  not 
come  through  the  sleeves  at  the  wristbands.  His  antagonist, 
seeing  the  advantage,  opened  the  attack,  Strickland, 
appreciating  the  necessity  for  prompt  action,  stooped  and, 
placing  one  foot  on  each  sleeve,  pulled,  like  one  skinning 
a  squirrel,  until  the  sleeves  gave  way  and  freed  his 
hands.  He  then  sailed  into  his  foe,  but  was  arrested  and 
lodged  in  the  old  jail.  At  this  period  the  old  jail  leaned 
considerably  to  one  side,  and  when  a  guard  was  placed 
over  him,  he  objected;  he  thought  it  was  unnecessary 
to  guard  the  side  of  the  jail  which  leaned,  as  "any  man 
would  be  a  d — d  fool  to  venture  to  escape  from  the  side 
which  leaned." 

How  a  ^ixth  Iowa  Cavalry  Boy  (Jot  His  Whisky. 

Thomas  Boyle,  of  Foster,  who  was  a  member  of  the 
Third  Towa  Light  Ai-lillei'v.  relates  an  anecdote  on  his  friend 
John  Celson,  an  Irishman,  who  belonged  to  Company  B. 
Sixth  Iowa  Cavalry.  In  ISG.*?  and  lSfi4  this  regiment  was  in 
Sully's  command,  stationed  in  the  Cheyenne  country,  near 
Ft.  i»ierre. 


HISTORY  OF   l/O.VA'O/';  COUNTY,  IOWA.  325 

It  \v;is  1)11  Cliristiiijis.  iiiid  llic  boys  wanlcd  a  lilfl** 
wliislc.v,  bill  (lid  iiol  liavc  llic  inonc.v  lo  hny  il,  mikI  the  suder 
would  not  be  "stood  i»IT"  for  the  pay.  (J<*lson  j;ol  two  jnj,'s, 
fillod  one  with  water  and  the  other  was  ('nii>ty.  A]>p(arin^ 
before  tlio  suth^r.  lie  ordered  the  eiu]»ty  jiifj;  tilled  with 
whisky.  The  sutler  tilled  it.  Gelson,  on  rooeivinj;  it,  in- 
«|uire<l  how  niuch  it  was  worth.  The  sutler  informed  him 
that  it  would  cost  five  <lollars.  (Jelson  a]»i»eared  disa|>- 
jiointed,  and  objected  to  ]>ayin^  so  much.  The  sutler  was  a 
lieart less  f»'llnw,  and  toldtJelson  that  if  he  thought  it  was  loo 
much,  to  hand  the  jug  back.  Gelson  did  so,  but  handed  the 
juo-  that  contained  the  water  instead  of  the  whisky.  The  sut- 
ler was  none  the  wiser,  and  the  boys  celebrated  Christmas 
(HI  whisky  that  did  not  cost  a  cent. 

The  Oldest  Citizen  Born  on  Iowa  Soil. 

.l(>hn  Adams,  of  Mantua  Township,  claims  to  be  the  first 
vVhite  male  person  born  on  loAva  soil.  He  is  70  years  of  age, 
and  was  born  in  1820  at  a  trading  post  on  the  Missouri  River, 
where  the  city  of  Council  TUutls  now  stands.  The  city  had 
not  been  jtlatted  at  that  time,,  nor  in  1S24,  when  a  Fi-ench 
trader  named  tfart  built  a  cabin  on  the  blutl's  near  the  large 
spring  known  as  "Myner's  Spring."  The  eni])loyees.  of 
the  American  Fur  Companv  called  the  localitv  *'La  Cote  de 
Hart,"  or  "Hart's  Blnlf." 

It  may  be  necessary,  however,  for  ^Ir.  Adams  to  defend 
his  claims  to  the  honor  of  being  th<'  first  white  child  born 
within  the  State,  against  those  of  .lulieii  Dubuque's  band 
of  miners  who  settled  along  the  ^lississippi  Kiver  in  1788. 
-Mthougli  Mr.  Adams  may  have  Ix'en  the  first  white  American 
boin  in  Iowa,  it  is  iiuite  certain  that  there  were  white  chil- 
dren boin  in  Iowa  among  the  French  traders  prior  to  1820. 

Dr.  Muir  settled  in  Lee  County  in  1820.  He  was  a  sur- 
geon in  the  T'liited  Stat<'s  army,  an<l  some  y«'ars  later  located 
in  Galena,  111.,  and  practiced  law,  and  then  returned  to 
Keokuk.  He  had  an  Indian  wife  when  he  located  in  Lee 
County,  and  was  the  fatliei-  of  four  rjiildifu.  some  of  whom 
were  born  in  Iowa,  as  early,  at  least,  as  1S2(». 

Mr.  Adams  c^ime  to  Monroe  ( Nmnty  in  the  'HOs.  Then  he 
located  in  Wapello  County,  and  then  returned  to  Monroe 
County  in  187.'?.  Fr(mi  Council  I'.lulVs  he  emigrated  to 
Ohio,  and  from  thence  to  P.lack  Hawk  <'ountv,  in  1850. 


326  HISTORY  OP  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

Yankee  Pumpkins  as  Parlor  Sets. 

In  early  times  chairs  were  a  luxury  which  every  pioneer 
family,  however  well  regulated,  could  not  always  afford. 

Nail-kegs,  too,  were  scarce,  but  the  settlers  soon  began  to 
use  a  chair  not  made  with  hands.  It  was  the  big  Yankee 
pumpkin. 

In  the  early  '50s  Nat  Williamson  went  "sparking"  over 
the  line  in  Wapello  County.  In  those  days  it  was  customary 
for  the  young  men  to  court  their  girls  in  droves.  William- 
son, Tom  Commons,  and  Joe  Carwell  went  over  in  a  gang  to 
"set"  Salina  McFarland,  Miss  Way,  and  Miss  Sutton.  They 
did  not  have  chairs,  but  the  lovers  sat  on  pumpkins.  They 
were  never  popular  with  lovers,  however,  as  a  pumpkin 
would  not  support  two  without  wabbling. 

Old  Documents. 
"Territory  of  Iowa 
Kiskekosh  County 

"to  eny  Cunstabal  in  said  county  greeting  in  the  name 
of  the  united  states  of  america  you  are  hereby  commanded  to 
atach  so  much  of  the  goods  and  chatchels  money  receipts  of 
Simon  Cochron  except  such  as  the  law  exempts  as  shall  be 
suflScient  to  satisfy  the  claim  of  sixteen  dollars  and  seven 
cents  and  cost  of  suite  in  hoosoever  possession  the  same  may 
be  found  in  your  county  and  presincte  that  the  goods  and 
chatchels  so  attached  may  be  subject  to  ferthar  Prosedings 
thare  on  as  the  law  requires  and  also  to  summon  the  said 
Simon  Cochron  if  to  be  found  to  apere  before  mee  a  Justice 
of  the  peace  of  the  Mcintire  precinct  in  said  county  at  my 
office  tharein  on  the  19  day  of  July  1845  at  12  oclock  of  said 
day  to  anser  into  H.  M,  Smith  plantif  and  also  that  you 
summon  all  such  pursens  as  garnisheez  as  may  be  derected 
by  the  said  plaintif  to  apere  before  me  at  the  time  and 
place  aforesed  to  anser  such  intirguations  as  may  be  pro- 
ponded  to  them  and  of  this  rit  make  legal  servis  and  due 
returns  given  under  my  hand  this  9  day  of  July  A.  D.  1845. 

"Archibald  Dorothy 
"Justice  of  the  peace" 
On  the  back  of  this  "rit  "  is  found  the  following: 
"This  rit  came  to  hand  July  9  at  P.  M.  9  oclock." 
"leved  this  10  day  of  July,  one  thousand  seven  hundred 
and  twenty  rales  bilt  in  fense  tin  achres  braking  two  log 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA.  327 

cabens  throo  acliies  and  a  half  of  Ituekwhoal  wliilli  all  and 
siiip;ular(*  hcloiiuinj;"  lo  Ihc  willi  in  cowlioin  all  IIk-  Imiv 
nanit'd  projiorly  layinji,  in  lr>wnslii|i  scvcniy  (nic" 

"j!;ainesli('<l  .Mr.  Scot  and  A  Trnssle  lev('<l  on  by  Fieni- 
niin<;Ti('e,lnly  10  1845" 

"(ho  demand  |l(l.7  cents  a(  the  request  and  resque  of 
the  plaintif  1  iniponr  Fleniniing  Tice  to  execute  this  rit 

'^4  rchibdld  Dorothy 
"Justice  of  the  peace" 

Here  is  another  order  for  the  delivery  of  certain  "goods 
and  chattels": 

"Territory  of  Iowa  I  To  any  constable 

Kishkekosh  County  |  in  said  County 

Troy  Township.  |  greeting: 

"In  the  name  of  the  united  states  of  America  you  are 
hereby  commanded  to  cause  to  be  delivered  without  delay 
to  Henry  B.  l^ones  herein  (if  he  gives  the  security  required 
bj'  law)  the  following  goods  and  chatties  to  wit:  ten  hogs, 
one  sow  of  a  dirty  white  couler  and  her  ear  marks  destroyed 
by  dogs,  three  barrows  marked  with  a  crop  off  the  left  ear 
and  an  underbit  in  the  right  and  a  slit  in  the  same;  tuid  five 
l)igs  coulered  black  and  white  and  no  ear  marks,  and  sum- 
mon Andrew  Galaspy  defendant,  to  be  and  appear  before 
me,  a  justice  of  the  Peace  in  the  above  named  county,  at 
my  office  thxirein,  on  the  15  day  of  January  184(5,  at  1)  oclock 
A.M.  of  said  day,  to  answer  unto  the  said  plaintilt",  in  a 
plea  of  replevin,  and  of  this  writ,  make  due  service  and 
return,  given  under  my  hand  this  8th  day  of  January,  184G. 

"Oco.  Dtay, 
"Justice  of  the  Peace." 

fiome  Early  Milling  Kxploitn. 

Tn  1848  Newt  Vancleve  went  to  IJonaparte  with  a  grist 
of  milling.  When  he  got  down  as  far  as  Big  Soap  Creek, 
he  f(Mind  the  stream  out  of  ils  banks,  caused  by  a  recent 
heavy  i-ain.  There  were  no  bridges;  and  as  (he  family  had 
scrajied  the  bottom  of  (he  meal  barrel,  (here  was  no  aKer- 
nadve  but  to  get  (o  mill  in  some  way.  He  foun<l  a  big 
Cottonwood  log  lying  acioss  (he  s(reani  above  (lu'  current. 
Over  (his  he  carried  each  sack  of  corn  to  the  opposKe  bank; 
then  he  took  the  wagon  apart  and  carried  it  across,  piece- 
meal. The  wagon  bed  he  (loated  across  by  attaching  a  rope 
to  it.     He  then  swam   (he  (earn  across,  and   (hen   wen(   on 


328  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY.  IOWA. 

his  way.  It  took  him  nine  days  to  make  the  trip;  on  return- 
ing, he  found  the  creelc  still  out  of  its  banks.  He  left  the 
wagon  and  milling  at  Madison  Mclntyre's,  and  swam  the 
team  across  the  stream  and  got  home.  He  and  his  father 
returned  a  week  later  for  the  wagon  and  grist. 

Mr.  Vancleve  is  still  living  in  Urbana  Township,  and 
relates  another  incident.  In  1850  Hamaker's  mill  was 
established  on  Cedar  Creek,  and  here  the  settlers  took  their 
"grinding."  One  day,  while  en  route  to  mill,  he  overtook 
Hon.  Josiah  T.  Young  with  an  ox-team,  also  on  his  way  to 
mill.  Mr,  Young  was  in  his  bare  feet  and  was  reading  a 
volume  of  Gibbon's  "Rome''  while  en  route. 

Mr.  Vancleve  passed  him,  got  his  grist  ground,  and 
both  started  on  their  return  home.  Mr.  Young  stopped  at 
Strickland's,  a  few  miles  north  of  Albia,  to  water  his  oxen. 
Old  man  Strickland  was  drunk,  and  got  after  Mr.  Young's 
bare  feet  with  a  switch,  making  him  hop  around  over  the 
premises  quite  briskly. 

In  18G7  John  Edwards  made  a  proposition  to  the  people 
of  Monroe  County  to  build  a  mill  in  Albia  if  the  people 
would  subscribe  |G00  towards  the  enterprise.  The  mill  was 
erected,  but  the  amount  of  bonus  was  never  made  up. 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA.  329 

CHAPTER  XIX. 

Educational. 

Monroe  County  offers  as  good  cducationiil  advantages 
as  any  county  in  the  State. 

The  course  of  study  puisued  in  (lie  Albiii  ni«;h  Sdiool 
is  just  as  thorougli  as  that  tauj^ht  in  the  colleges,  and  it 
reijuires  twelve  years  to  complete  the  course,  Latin,  how- 
ever, is  the  only  foreign  langliage  taught.  Prof.  H.  C. 
Hollingsworth  is  the  present  principal.  lie  receives  an 
annual  salary  of  |1300. 

There  are  six  graded  schools  in  Monroe  County — viz., 
Albia,  Avery,  Foster,  Hitenian,  Lovilia,  and  Melrose.  In 
181)5  there  were  enrolled  in  the  schools:  Albia,  7U1  pupils; 
Avery,  110;  Foster,  i:V,);  Hiteman,  305;  Lovilia,  Ji7;  and 
Melrose,  126. 

In  1890  there  were  102  school-houses  in  the  county,  and 
in  1890  there  were  161  teachers  enrolled  in  the  ofltice  of  the 
County  Suj>erintendent.  Following  is  tlie  list  as  taken 
from  the  County  Superintendent's  books: 

Mrs.  Delia  Angel,  G.  M.  Abegglen,  Mary  Abegglen, 
Chas.  Abegglen,  W.  T.  Bussear,  Mamie  Bucher,  Emmett 
Bay,  A.  H.  Bain,  W.  H.  Bates,  D.  W.  Bates,  Sadie  Baldwin, 
Laura  Burgason,  Bessie  Bradley,  Alice  Burgason,  Ada 
Burgason,  Amanda  Burgason,  Clara  Barber,  Mollie  Barber, 
Fred  Bowen,  Mrs.  Mary  Baker,  Clara  Chisholm,  Myrta  Cox, 
J.  J.  Carr,  011a  Cobb,  Anna  Castle,  Alice  Cromwell,  Mrs. 
L.  B.  Carlisle,  Stella  Cobb,  ^faggie  Canning,  Mary  Carmody, 
Ella  Cady,  Rose  Clark,  Cassie  (jraig,  .Tosie  Craig.  I'.crt  Court- 
ney, Mary  Cumraings,  Fannie  Dunh-avy,  Mary  Druiy,  Libbie 
Davis.  Nellie  Delana,  Laura  Dashicll,  A.  E.  Elder,  Jennie 
Ewers,  Albert  Ewers,  Mattie  Emanuel,  Clara  Forest,  M.  C. 
Falvey,  Mary  Fuller,  ]\Iamie  Follis.  Ada  Foster,  Anna 
Fall,  (!has.  E.  Fulton,  Mattie  Ferguson,  Florence  Ferguson, 
Wm.  Fallon,  Emma  I"'uiik.  Slclhi  FuKon,  Oia  Fisher.  .\nna 
Fulton.  Lillic  (lillaspic.  Ida  (lillaspic.  .Icssic  <irav,  .l»»hn  O. 
Hawk,  Eva  Harris,  Alice  Ilowk.  Margaret  Hawk.  ".Mrs.  IL  O. 
Ilickenloopi'r,  Kulh  IliggeniK>tham,  Sol.  Hickman,  -Fohn 
Hickman,  Cyrus  Hickenlooper,  .Maggie  Harlow,  Myrta  Hai*- 
low,  Dora  Haugh,  Zulah  Holtzclaugh,  ^^aude  Ireland.  lithe 


330  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  TOWA. 

Junkius,  Nettie  Junkins,  Estella  Johnson,  L.  E.  Johnson,. 
Lila  Judson,  Albert  Johnson,  Joseph  Kelleher,  Ella  Kirby, 
E.  G.  Kussart,  Rosa  Leech,  Lucy  Lemaster,  Ella  McDonald, 
Maude  Mullen,  Ethel  Mullen,  Mary  Miller,  Allie  Murray, 
Frankie  McKissick,  Rhoda  McGilvery,  Nettie  McCoy,  Anna 
Morrissey,  Clara  Noland,  D.  W.  Nevins,  Mary  Neil,  Lizzie 
O'Brien,  Mrs.  Mary  O'Bryan,  E.  B,  Piper,  Mattie  D.  Peter 
sen,  J.  W.  Payne,  Alice  Quillan,  Mary  Quinn,  Mrs.  Hattie 
Robinson,  May  Rigdon,  Maggie  Ryan,  Mary  R}  an,  Effie  Robi- 
son,  V.  L.  Ray,  Pearl  Riggs,  Otto  Runyan,.  Julia  Riordan, 
D.  H.  Rouse,  Chas.  Richey,  Orpha  Rigdon,  J.  W.  Robison, 
Addie  Rogers,  A.  W.  Richardson,  Josie  Sexton,  Delia  Sinnott, 
J.  M,  Sterrett,  Mary  Shearer,  Bid  Sullivan,  vStella  Scott,  Jen- 
nie Sinclair,  Arthur  Spencer,  Daisy  C.  Sayles,  Alice  Stone, 
G.  W.  Stocker,  G.  Z.  Stocker,  Katie  Sexton,  Mary  Simons, 
H.  A.  Stites,  Minnie  Sullivan,  Thomas  Stewart,  Maggie  Sin- 
nott, Ollie  V.  Smith,  Geo.  H.  Shahan,  Lottie  Totman.  Edith 
Tibbals,  Ella  Tubaugh,  W.  H.  Tedrow,  Hattie  Thompson, 
Etta  Thompson,  Mabel  Ury,  Katie  Whalen,  Osie  West,  Katie 
Winslow,  John  Wycoff,  Emma  Way,  Merlin  Wilkin,  Nora 
Wilkin,  Alice  White,  Ruth  Wirt,  Mary  Wiedman,  Charles 
Young,  Mrs.  Jennie  Thayer,  Mrs.  Jennie  Warner. 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA.  831 


CHAPTER  XX. 

The  Mining  Imlustrtj. 

At  the  present  time  Monroe  County  ranks  third  in  the 
list  of  coal-])ro(lucin<2:  counties  in  tlie  State;  but  it  is  safe  t(t 
venture  the  i)re(li(lion  lliat  within  tlie  next  five  years  she 
will  occupy  a  place  at  the  head  of  the  list. 

.Mahaska  County  is  at  present  the  largest  coal-producinj; 
county  in  the  State,  ]Hoducing,  in  1895,  902,430  tons  of  coal, 
valued  at  the  mines  at  |1 ,209,256. 

Appanoose  Countv  came  next,  with  her  350,000  tons, 
valued  at  the  mines  at  |420,000. 

Monroe  County  followed,  with  313,354  tons,  valued  at 
tin  mines  at  .1l;301,(;i)2. 

It  should  be  here  stated  that  the  foregoing  figures  repre- 
sent the  condition  of  the  coal  industry  at  the  period  of  the 
great  financial  panic  of  1894  and  1895,  when  all  industries, 
and  notably  that  of  mining,  were  comi)letely  paralyzed. 
During  this  memoiabh^  ixuiod  of  depression  the  coal  industry 
sutfered  most  of  all.  The  railroads,  having  little  or  notliing 
to  haul,  did  not  need  coal  for  steam  purposes.  The  factories 
throughout  the  country  ran  on  half  or  (piarter  time,  and 
many  completely  shut  their  shops.  From  this  source  another 
portion  of  the  coal  demand  was  cut  otf.  The  winter  was 
mild  and  not  much  coal  was  required  as  fuel.  Then  the  coal- 
miners'  strike  added  to. the  depression  and  cui-tailed  in  a 
large  measure  the  output  in  1895.  Hence  it  is  that  the 
figures  given  do  not  express  the  normal  condition  of  the 
mining  industry  in  Monroe  County. 

In  189.'{,  just  on  the  eve  of  the  financial  crisis,  Monroe 
County  produced  041,805  tons  of  coal. 

In  1895  Mahaska  County  had  28  mines  in  operation,  Appa- 
noose had  72,  while  Monroe  (.'ounty  had  but  18,  and  (5  of  this 
number  are  but  "slopes,"  or  count ly  banks,  scmie  employing 
but  one  or  two  men  during  the  winter  months. 

The  State  Mine  lns|)ect(»r  divi<les  Iowa  into  three  mining 
districts,  and  the  First  District  comprises  the  counties  of 
Adams,  Appanoose,  Davis,  Lucas,  IVIonroe,  Page,  Taylor, 
Wapello,  Warren,  and  Wayne.  Of  these,  Monroe,  Lucas, 
Wapello,  and  a  part  t>f  Davis  are  the  only  counties  within 


;^32  BISTORT  OF  MOi^RUE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

the  First  District  wliich  yield  any  coal  from  the  lower  coal 
seam.  The  others  named  work  a  3-foot  vein,  with  an  inter- 
val of  about  8  inches  of  fire-clay  in  the  middle  of  the  seam. 
This  8-foot  vein  also  occurs  in  Monroe  County,  but  the  coal 
at  present  is  not  mined  for  shipping  purposes,  and  is  worked 
only  in  country  banks,  for  local  consumption  as  fuel. 

In  no  locality  in  the  mining  districts  of  Iowa  is  the  prod- 
uct of  this  thin  coal  vein  very  suitable  for  steam  purposes. 
It  is  lighter,  and  while  it  is  superior  for  fuel  purposes  to 
that  of  the  lower  coal  lying  at  a  greater  depth,  it  does  not 
find  a  market  as  steam-producing  coal.  Its  quality  in  Mon- 
roe County  is  not  quite  so  good  as  in  Appanoose  County,  yet 
this,  however,  may  be  due  to  the  fact  that  up  to  the  present 
no  tests  of  its  quality  have  been  very  extensively  made  in 
Monroe  County,  in  regions  overlaid  by  a  thick  rock  loof. 
Where  entries  have  been  driven  to  any  considerable  dis- 
tance from  surface  exposure  and  beneath  thick  superin- 
cumbent strata  of  rock  or  slate,  the  quality  of  the  coal  is 
perceptibly  improved.  This  coal  seam  is  unvarying  in  thick- 
ness throughout  the  county,  and  crops  out  along  all  the  prin- 
cipal streams.  It  is  preferred  for  fuel  purposes  to  the  lower 
coal,  even  in  Monroe  County,  and  no  doubt  it  will  command 
a  good  commercial  value  in  the  future,  when  there  is  a  greater 
demand  for  it  than  now. 

About  50  feet  below  this  seam  there  is  another  one,  about 
K;  inches  in  thickness,  which  is  usually  from  100  to  150  feet 
above  the  lower  coal  seam.  Another  seam  of  about  the  same 
thickness  occurs  above  the  3-foot  vein  in  localities  within  the 
county. 

Monroe  County,  like  Mahaska,  occupies  the  center  of  the 
great  coal-bearing  district  of  Iowa,  which,  beginning  at 
Webster  County,  parallels  the  Des  Moines  River  on  either 
side,  as  far  down  as  Van  Buren  County.  This  area  is  classed 
by  geologists  as  the  "lower  coal  measures."  The  thickness 
of  these  coal  measures  in  Monroe  County  is  variously  esti- 
mated at  from  200  to  400  feet,  and  contains,  as  already  stated, 
sev<eral  seams  of  coal  of  varying  thickness,  from  8  feet  down 
to  as  many  inches. 

The  lowest  stratum  of  coal  is  by  far  the  most  important 
commercially,  as  the  vein  is  of  the  greatest  thickness,  and 
also  superior  in  quality  for  steam  purposes.  It  does  not  lie 
in  a  continuous  or  persistent  stratum  extending  over  any 
considerable  areas,  but  occurs  in  lenticular  basins  or  pockets. 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY.  IOWA.  333 

some  of  which  are  of  large  extent.  These  puckets  doubtless 
represent  the  inequalities  of  surface  of  tlu'  earth,  duriuf;  the 
^laeial  period,  when  tlie  mass  of  ve«ietal>le  nia((er  dril'tcd  in 
and  foiined  beds  of  eoal. 

When  it  is  remembered  that  tlie  coal  liehls  ul'  Moiumm' 
Countv  are  practically  in  an  undeveloped  state  at  the  pres- 
ent tinu',  it  is  rt'as(unible  tu  conclude  that  she  will  soon  ovei*- 
take  and  outrank  JNlahaska.  County  as  the  banner  coal  county 
(d"  the  State.  Much  of  the  avaihible  coal  supply  in  Alahaska 
<  'ounty  has  already  been  mined,  and  with  t  he  present  nuuiln  r 
of  mines  and  the  amount  of  capital  and  enterprise  expended 
in  mininu;  o])erations  in  the  county,  her  output  is  destined 
soon  to  diminish  with  the  exhaustion  of  her  present  already 
thoroughly  worked  mining  camps.  A  large  amount  of  Mon- 
roe County  coal  lands  are  held  in  reserve  in  anticipaticiu  of 
an  early  advance  in  prices  incident  on  the  diminution  of  the 
coal  snpjtly  in  neighboring  localities. 

The  distribution  of  coal  in  Appanoose  County  is  diuibt- 
less  conlined  to  a  less  area  than  that  of  Monro<'  County,  and 
the  lower  vein  is  not  present  at  all  in  any  lixality  within  the 
county.  A  o-foot  vein  is  the  only  one  worked  in  the  county, 
and  it  is  near  the  surface  and  is  easily  accessible  by  nieans 
of  drifting  into  the  earth.  This  does  not  re(piire  an  ex- 
pensive e(pii])ment,  and  with  the  rapidly  increasing  nuiuber 
of  mines  which  take  the  place  of  those  worked  out,  the  out- 
put will  soon  begin  to  <liminish.  ^loreover,  the  (piality  of 
the  coal,  while  superior  for  domestic  jmrposes,  cannot  be 
placed  on  the  market  as  steam  coal,  anil  in  the  summer  sea- 
son the  industry  is  usually  jtartially  suspended,  and  often 
altogether  so,  on  account  of  tinding  a  light  market  for 
the  coal. 

For  purposes  of  State  inspection,  the  c(»al-producing 
area  of  Towa  is  divided  into  tliree  mine  ins|ierlion  <lisliicts. 
Each  of  these  is  un<ler  the  sujiervision  of  a  Mine  Inspector 
appointed  by  the  Ciovernoi-.  Tlie  First  District  comprises  the 
counties  of  Adams,  Appanoose,  Davis,  Lucas,  Mouroe,  Tay 
lor,  Wapello,  Warren,  and  Wayne. 

Tlie  counties  of  Aj>panoose„  MiMiroc.  and    W'apeHo  aie 
the  only  three  c(Minties  cd"  thi'  distiid   whirii  are  of  any  im 
portance  as  coal  pi'oducing  counties. 

The  three  named,  together  \\\\\\  Mahaska  Count  \.  of 
the  Second  District,  are  the  mining  cenleis  of  tlie  Slate. 

The  Second  Inspection  District  of  Iowa  conipiises  the 


334  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

counties  of  Jasper,  Jefiferson,  Keokuk,  Mahaska,  Scott,  and 
Van  Buren,  and  the  Third  is  made  up  of  the  counties  of 
Adair,  Boone,  Dallas,  Greene,  Guthrie,  Marion,  Polk,  Story, 
and  Webster. 

For  organization  and  vai'ious  other  purposes,  the  mining 
districts  of  Iowa,  irrespective  of  the  mine-inspection  dis- 
trict division,  are  divided  into  the  Northern,  Des  Moines, 
Central,  and  Southern  districts.  Some  of  these  districts 
are  known  as  "low  coal"  districts,  the  term  "low  coal,"  in 
mining  parlance,  meaning  coal  occurring  in  shallow  seams — 
the  3-foot  vein,  for  instance,  of  Appanoose,  of  the  Southern 
District,  or  of  Boone  and  Webster  of  the  Northern  District, 

This  "low  coal"  is  distinguished  as  "mining  coal,"  or 
coal  to  mine  which  the  miner  has  to  use  his  shovel  and  pick 
alone.  He  merely  digs  the  fire-clay  from  the  seam,  and 
wedges  or  pries  the  coal  out,  without  resorting  to  "shooting" 
or  blasting.  This  coal  readily  separates  from  the  shale  or 
slate  roof,  and  as  it  rests  on  a  bed  of  fire-clay,  it  freely 
separates  from  the  latter.  In  order,  however,  to  mine  such 
coal,  the  miner  has  to  remove  a  portion  of  the  upper  or 
lower,  or  sometimes  both  upper  and  lower,  adjacent  strata, 
in  order  to  get  sufficient  height  in  his  room  for  operating 
purposes  and  for  the  passage  of  mules  drawing  the  cars. 
Owing  to  this  extra  amount  of  labor  which  the  miner  has 
to  perform,  he  receives  a  higher  price  per  ton  for  the  amount 
of  coal  mined  than  if  the  coal  was  "higher." 

The  price  per  ton  for  coal  mined  is  fixed  by  common 
agreement  between  operators  and  miners  throughout  the 
coal-mining  districts  of  the  United  States.  This  schedule 
of  prices  for  Iowa  was  fixed  in  1893;  and  since  then  oc- 
casional violations  of  that  basis  led  to  one  of  the  most 
extensive  strikes  or  suspensions  of  labor  in  the  mines  that 
the  mining  industry  in  the  West  has  ever  experienced.  The 
history  of  that  strike  may  not  be  fairly  well  understood  by 
those  not  immediately  interested,  as  the  causes  that  led 
to  it  were  not  altogether  local  in  character. 

During  the  eight-hour  strike  movement  of  1890,  when 
most  of  the  various  organized  labor  organizations  through- 
out the  United  States  struck  for  eight  hours  of  labor  instead 
of  ten  hours,  the  United  Mine-Workers  of  America  were 
drawn  into  the  strike  movement.  The  miners  did  not 
demand  of  the  operators  ten  hours'  pay  for  eight  hours' 
work,  since  the  miner  is  paid  by  the  ton  for  his  labor;  but 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA.  335 

the  theory  was,  that  by  reducing  the  number  (►f  Imiiips  for 
each  day's  hibor  inoi-c  men  eonhl  bi'  jMovidcd  wiili  woiU  in 
<2^eltin<;  out  a  reciuired  amount  of  coal. 

In  (du'dience  to  an  order  from  Ww  nalional  orj^anizalion, 
the  Monroe  ('ounty  miners  strucic;  they  lield  out  for  several 
weeks,  but  at  some  of  the  mines  their  demands  were  not 
acceded  to  by  the  operators,  and  the  strike  was  aban<h>n<'d. 
The  movement  was  not  well  generaled,  and,  one  after  an 
other,  the  camps  resumed  work  without  liaviuj;  acliicved 
any  advantage. 

At  the  termination  of  tliis  strike,  tlic  Iowa  miners  with- 
drew fr(Hn  the  national  organization,  owing  to  a  lack  of 
support,  and  in  1SJ).'>  a  State  (Ugani/.ation  was  perfected, 
which  took  the  name  of  The  Iowa  Miners'  Association,  with 
its  headquarters  at  Foster,  Iowa.  J.  T.  Olarkson  was 
cliosen  president  of  the  organization,  and  Ivichard  Williams, 
also  of  Foster,  was  secretary  and  tr(»asurer. 

That  year  brouglit  the  foreiiinner  of  the  great  financial 
distress  of  the  country-.  All  departments  of  trade  be- 
came stagnated,  the  arteries  of  commerce  became  clogged, 
and  nione^-  ceased  to  circulate  freely-.  Every  kind  of 
business  succumbed  to  the  general  distress.  The  farmer 
could  not  get  anything  for  his  jii-oducts.  Transportation 
shrunk  to  a.  minimum,  and  factories  curtailed  their  output. 
This,  of  course,  affected  the  coal  trade  in  a  large  «h'gree. 
The  operators  of  mines  could  not  tiud  a  maiket  for  all  their 
output  at  former  prices.  They  found  that  they  could  not 
]>ay  ojxM-jiting  expenses  by  paying  the  schcduk'  rate  [»cr  ton 
for  mining  the  coal,  and  most  of  the  operators  began  to  cut 
below  the  schedule  rate,  which  had  Ix'tMi  fixed  in  1893  and 
wiiich  is  known  as  "the  180:i  ]>asis."  This  rate  was  as 
foll(>ws:  FcM-  mining  coal  in  the  Southci'n  District,  com 
prising  the  counties  of  Ajqiantxtsc  and  Wayne,  :$l.(l(l  per  ton  ; 
Central  District.  com|»rising  Monroe,  Maiion,  Mahaska, 
Keokuk,  and  Wapello  connlies.  7.")  cents  per  ton ;  Des  Moiiu'S 
District,  11.00  per  ton;  Northern  District.  com|iiising  IJoone 
and  Webstei-  counties.  |1.00  per  ton. 

At  tlie  time  the  general  strike  or  "suspension"  was 
ordered  in  1S04,  by  the  National  I'nited  Mine  W(M-kers  of 
America,  the  Iowa  mineis  weic  not  members  of  that  oi-gani 
zation,.  and  were  leally  not  parties  to  the  calling  of  the 
strike  at  that  time.  The  order  was  given  1o  strike  (tn  the 
21st  of  April,  1894,  an<l  after  many  urgent  ajipeals  from  the 


336  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

national  officials  and  from  miners  within  the  State,  the 
President  of  the  Iowa  Miners'  Association  issued  a  call  for 
a  miners'  convention  to  meet  at  Albia  on  May  3d,  for  the 
purpose  of  considering  the  ajipeals  from  the  national 
organization,  for  cooperation.  After  hearing  reports  from 
every  mining  camp  within  the  State,  it  was  found  that 
about  two-thirds  of  the  delegates  were  opposed  to  a  strike 
or  to  i>articipating  in  the  ''national  suspension," 

A  rejiort  was  submitted  by  each  delegate,  which 
showed  that  a  reduction  had  been  made,  of  20  cents  per  ton 
on  coal  mined  in  the  Southern  District,  where  ''low  coal" 
is  mined;  25  cents  per  ton  reduction  in  the  Des  Moines 
District,  and  20  cents  per  ton  in  the  Northern  field.  This 
reduction  affected  about  65  per  cent  of  the  mines  in  the 
State,  not  including  What  Cheer  and  other  eastern  mines. 
Several  of  the  Monroe  County  mines,  however,  did  not 
make  any  reduction,  among  which  was  the  Deep  Vein  Coal 
Company  at  Foster.  Yet,  notwithstanding,  the  strike  went 
into  effect  at  that  place,  the  same  as  if  the  company  had 
violated  the  1893  compact. 

In  the  convention,  a  motion  to  suspend  work  was  voted 
down  by  one  majority.  Tlie  next  day  a  motion  w^as  carried 
to  reconsider  the  vote,  and,  when  acted  on,  it  was  carried  by 
a  majority  of  eleven  votes,  that,  in  view  of  the  reductions 
made  in  the  State,  which  were  threatening  to  produce  a  uni- 
form reduction  of  20  cents  per  ton,  over  the  State,  by  reason 
of  competition  compelling  the  operators  who  had  not  so 
reduced  the  price  per  ton  for  mining  to  meet  the  operators 
in  the  market  who  had  made  the  reduction,  it  was  resolved 
that  the  president  issue  a  call  for  all  miners  in  the  State  to 
stop  work;  which  was  done,  and  the  miners  were  idle  until 
June  11,  1894,  when  the  following  agreement  was  entered 
into  by  the  parties  to  the  contract: 

"Whereas,  The  miners  of  Iowa  are  to-day  idle  because 
of  their  action  in  joining  the  movement  known  as  the 
'national  suspension';  therefoi'e  be  it 

"Resoh^ed,  By  the  operators  and  miners  of  Iowa,  in 
joint  convention  assembled,  at  Oskaloosa,  on  this  9th  day  of 
June,  1894,  that  the  scale  of  wages  for  mining  coal,  and  the 
rules  and  regulations  in  force  during  1893,  be  restored 
(excepting  so  far  as  these  may  be  modified  by  the  acts  of 
the  Twenty-fifth  General  Assembly  of  Iowa),  and  that  the 
same  continue  in  effect  until  April  1,  1895. 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA.  337 

''Resolved  also.  That  wli(M<'as  tlirrc  lia\c  hmi  ii(»  acts 
of  violence  coiuinitttMl  at  any  of  llic  iiiinrs  Ihmt  ifprcscnted, 
it  is  agi'tHMl  l>_v  the  opcralois  licic  ass('iiil»lr<l  that  llirrt^" 
shall  bo  no  (lis(  riiiiinalion  used  aj;ains(  Ihoir  uini  on  a<T(Hin1 
of  tlio  part  takon  in  the  suspension. 

''Kesohrd  further,  That  it  is  tlio  aim  (tf  the  Iowa 
operators  to  always  deal  fairly  Avith  their  nion;  they  agree 
that  they  will  be  jjlad  to  consider  coniplaiuts  at  any  time, 
and  that  they  stand  ready  at  all  times  to  proj>erly  adjust 
any  wronjjs  that  may  exist. 

''Resolred  further.  That  the  operators  of  Iowa  whose{ 
sijrnatures  are  hereto  attached  will  recojjnize  the  wi-itten 
request  of  any  or  all  of  their  miners  to  pay  over  to  any 
committee  or  its  treasurer  any  sum  per  ton  due  such  men, 
it  being  understood  that  said  committee  may  disposi^*  of 
such  sums  of  money  as  they  deem  expedient,  and  that  the 
operators  have  no  interest  in  such  sums  after  tlK*y  have 
been  paid  over  as  above. 

"It  is  agreed  by  the  representatives  of  the  miners  of  the 
State,  who  are  duly  authorized  to  act.  that  all  minors  in 
the  State  shall  return  to  work,  commencing  Wednesday, 
June  I'^th.  at  all  mines  willing  to  resume  on  the  ab<)ve  l)asis. 

"In  witness  whereof  we  hereunto  attach  our  respective 
signatures." 

To  this  were  attached  the  fi>ll<»wing  signatures:  J.  W. 
Reynolds,  President  Executive  Uoard;  -I.  T.  (Markson,  Secre- 
tary; W.  S.  Scott.  President  l>is.  i:J.  V.  M.  W.  of  A.;  Julius 
Fraum.  Secretary  and  Treasurer  Dis.  i:^  IT.  :M.  W.  of  A.: 
Robt.  Cunion.  Foster;  Jas.  li.  Williams.  Wapclluka;  Robt. 
Downs,  What  Cheer;  Elisha  Holland.  What  CIumm-;  Geo. 
Richard,  Colfax;  W.  F.  Lewis,  Wajudluka;  Thos.  n.  Davis, 
Des^Ioines;  Robert  Cowan.  Angus;  Wm.  Mitchell.  Flagler; 
^^'hit(^-breast  Fuel  C()mpany,  by  Paul  Morton.  President; 
Oskaloosa  Coal  an<l  Mining  <N)mpany.  by  K.  11.  (Jibbs, 
President;  What  Clicci'  ('<ial  Company,  by  K.  M.  Trcsrott, 
Superintench'ut ;  Chicago  Coal  Coiii|iany.  by  1).  C.  Dc  Wolf. 
President;  Star  Coal  Company,  by  C.  II.  Kathburn.  S«'cn'- 
tary;  Wajx^llo  Co;iI  Company,  by  II.  L.  Waterman,  Vice- 
President;  Excelsior  C(»al  Comj^any.  by  (Jeo.  Ramsey.  Super- 
intendent; P.lack  Swan  Coal  Company,  by  Thos.  IJeck; 
Tlickory  (^oal  and  Mining  Comjiany.  by  J.  FT.  R^imsey.  Super- 
intend<'nt;  Roone  \'alley  Coal  and  Railway  Company,  by 
Hamilton  Rrown;  Lower  Vein  Coal  and  Railway  Company, 

22 


338  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

by  Hamilton  Brown;  Boone  Coal  and  Mining  Company,  by 
Hamilton  Brown;  Tuka  Coal  Company,  by  H.  Booth,  Presi- 
dent; Oak  Hill  Coal  Company,  by  S.  R.  Rawlings;  Columbian 
Coal  Company,  by  W.  A.  Uurfee,  General  Manager;  Smoky 
Hollow  Coal  Company,  by  J.  J.  Phans,  Proprietor. 

Thus  ended  one  of  the  most  extensive  and  far-reaching 
strikes  that  this  country  has  ever  seen.  It  affected  at  one 
time  fourteen  thousand  mine  employees. 

At  the  convention  at  Albia,  which  ordered  the  Iowa 
miners  to  strike,  J.  T,  Clarkson  resigned  his  office  of  presi- 
dent of  the  Iowa  Miners'  Association,  but  occupied  the  posi- 
tion of  secretary  at  the  time  he  attended  the  National  Execu- 
tive Board  meeting  at  Columbus,  (^hio,  June  i.  1894,  when  it 
formally  voted  to  declare  the  "national  suspension"  off,  and 
to  permit  every  mining  district  to  make  any  kind  of  arrange- 
ments they  chose   between  the   miners  and  the    operators. 

Mr.  Clarkson  was  opposed  to  the  strike  from  first  to  last ; 
but,  under  the  overwhelming  i)ressure  brought  to  bear  on 
the  Iowa  miners,  and  the  persistent  entreaties  of  the  miners 
themselves,  he  yielded  to  their  wishes,  and  called  the  con 
vention.  Later  he  accepted  the  office  of  vice-president  of  the 
Iowa  Miners'  Association,  but  resigned  in  1SJ).5,  and  has  since 
then  devoted  his  talent  and  energy  to  the  practice  of  law. 

Whether  this  great  strike  resulted  in  any  material  ad- 
vantage to  the  miners  of  Iowa  is  a  matter  of  doubt.  The 
Deep  Vein  Coal  Company,  of  Foster,  Iowa,  refused  to  enter 
the  agreement,  and  the  strike  was  prolonged  at  the  place 
for  some  weeks.  That  company  had  never  violated  the  '98 
schedule,  and  had  paid  its  employees  promptly  every  two 
weeks.  Moreo^ei',  it  had  to  face  the  competition  of  other 
mines  which  operated  on  a  reduced  scale  for  mining,  but  it 
gave  its  men  work  (though  not  on  full  time)  as  long  as  they 
wished  work.  Mv.  Foster,  president  of  the  company,  took 
exceptions  to  one  clause  of  the  agreement  requiring  his  com- 
pany, on  re(pi('st  of  the  miners,  to  become  their  agent  in  the 
collection  of  certain  dues  or  '^relief  funds,"  The  miners  at 
Foster  at  length  signified  their  willingness  to  resume  work 
without  having  scM-ured  any  concessions  from  the  company, 
but  their  action  cost  the  company  the  loss  of  some  valuable 
coal  contracts,  whicli,  on  account  of  its  inability  to  fill  them 
at  the  time  of  the  strike,  were  placed  with  other  companies, 
which  had  already  gone  to  work. 


UltiTOliY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA.  339 

Duriiiji  the  strike  many  of  (ho  miners  and  tlicir  families 
were  redni-ed  almost  to  destitution.  Tlie  relief  fund  was  in- 
adequate, and  the  ai)i)eals  sent  out  to  the  farminj:^  community 
for  donations  fell  on  unsympathizin*;  ears.  The  farmers 
would  not  contributi'  to  their  supjiort.  and  met  the  SDlicitors 
with  the  retort :  "^^'hy  don't  you  ^o  to  work  if  yctu  arc  starv- 
inji?  NVe  have  to  worlc  for  whate\er  we  can  ^et,  in  oider  to 
keep  the  wolf  from  the  door."  The  farmers  could  not  see  the 
wisdom  of  a  strike  at  a.  time  when  all  business  was  already 
paralyzed  by  a  financial  ])anic.  They  felt  that  they  thc^m- 
selves  were  in  the  same  boat,  and  refused  both  material  and 
moral  sup]»ort  ti)  the  strike  movement.  Their  aid  was  not 
withheld  throujjh  a  lack  of  charity,  for  thc\v  felt  that  it  would 
be  fosterinj:;  a  social  evil  to  encoui-ajie  men  in  i<llene^ss. 

l*robal)ly  a  majority  of  the  sober  reflectin};  miners  were 
opposed  to  tlie  strike;  but  in  a  mininj;  community  there  are 
rulinp:  spiiits,  whose  counsels  are  listened  to  and  heeded  by 
the  rank  and  tile.  Sometimes  these  bosses  are  unscrupulous 
men,  who  j;o  by  the  name  of  "ajiitators."  There  are  a  few 
of  them  in  every  mininf;  cam]),  and  tlu^v  are  a  source  of  mis 
chief  to  both  operators  and  miners.  Tn  all  treaties  with 
o|»erators  they  are  careful  to  have  the  latter  aj^ree  to  a  clause 
which  binds  the  operator  to  not  make  any  discrimination 
against  them  and  their  active  followers  for  havinj,'  abetted 
the  strike.  Notwiihstandinji:  these  promises  on  the  part  of 
the  o]>erat(M-s.  and  notwithstanding;  the  enactment  of  a 
statute  in  the  laws  of  the  State,  forbiddini;  this  discrimina- 
tion, the  "aiiitator"  soon  tinds  himself  (»nt  of  cmjdoymeut  in 
the  mines.  He  <;oes  fi-oni  mininj^^  camp  to  mininj;  camp  seek- 
ing work,  but  he  is  invaiiably  known  to  the  company  in  some 
way,  and  is  told  his  services  are  not  desired.  He  usually 
goes  to  work  with  the  rest  of  the  miners,  but  he  invariably 
lands  in  some  ])ai't  of  the  mine  whei-e  ther<'  is  bad  air,  "low 
«'oal,"  or  a  treacherous  i-oof.  lie  is  not  a  fav<u'it«'  with  the 
"pit-boss,"  and  is  assigned  by  him  to  the  least  dcsii-able  part 
of  the  mine,  where  he  cannot  eaiii  a  living  by  his  laboi-. 

The  scale  of  wages  foi-  mining  coal,  as  agreed  to  by  the 
joint  convention  at  Oskaloosa,  .lune  0,  1S!)4,  which  scale  was 
a  c<uitinuation  of  the  "Xi  scale,  and  was  to  be  in  force  until 
Aj)ril  1,  ISO."),  was  not  strictly  observed  by  the  parties  to  the 
contract,  an«l  in  the  sjaing  of  'I>."»  the  operators  and  miners 
met  in  convention  at  Oilumwa,  March  LMIth.  In  this  conven- 
tion an  agreement  was  entered  into,  which  is  known  as  the 


340  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

"Ottumwa  Agreement,"  and  in  which  it  was  agreed  that  the 
■9:}  scale  would  be  observed  from  April  1,  1895,  to  April  1, 
189G,  It  seems  the  operators  entering  into  this  compact  found 
theraseh^es  unable  to  carry  out  its  provisions,  and  a  reduc- 
tion was  made,  which  precipitated  another  strike,  by  the 
operators  in  the  Northern,  Southern,  and  Des  Moines  dis- 
tricts refusing  to  sign  or  abide  by  the  agreement. 

In  the  Southern  District  nearly  all  the  men  went  out  on 
account  of  a  reduction  of  from  10  to  15  cents  per  ton,  A  levy 
of  $1.00  per  head  was  placed  on  every  miner  working 
throughout  the  districts,  but  this  aid  was  soon  exhausted, 
and  the  striking  miners  were  advised  by  the  State  organiza- 
ton  to  temporarily  resume  work  at  the  reduced  schedule 
price.  This  advice  was  given  out  in  a  circular  signed  by  J. 
T.  Clarkson,  as  president  pro  tern.,  and  Julius  Fraum,  secre- 
tary and  treasurer  of  the  Iowa  Miners'  Association. 

In  Monroe  County  the  fixed  schedule  for  mining  coal 
has  for  several  years  been  the  same  as  that  of  Mahaska 
County — viz.,  70  cents  j)er  ton  for  summer  and  80  cents  for 
winter,  or  75  cents  on  an  average.  The  State  Mine  Inspector 
of  the  First  Inspection  District  gives  the  following  prices  for 
the  various  counties  comprising  the  districts: 

Appanoose  and  Wayne  counties,  per  ton fl.OO 

Central   District,  comprising   Mahaska,   Monroe,  Ma- 
rion, Keokuk,  and  Wapello  counties,  per  ton 75 

Des  IMoines  District,  per  ton 1.00 

Northern   District,   comprising  Boone   and   Webster 

counties,  per  ton 1.00 

The  State  Mine  Inspector,  however,  in  his  report  of  the 
First  District,  for  the  year  ending  June  30,  1895,  places  the 
average  price  for  mining  coal  in  Monroe  County  at  66  cents 
per  ton,  in  Mahaska  County  at  75  cents  per  ton,  and  in  Appa- 
noose County  at  88  cents  per  ton. 

The  writer  has  no  knowledge  of  any  rate  in  Monroe 
County  lower  than  70  cents. 

The  State  Mine  Inspector's  Report  for  the  year  1895 
gives  the  following  as  the  number  and  character  of  the  min- 
ing plants  of  Monroe  County: 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 


341 


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W.  D.  Russell. 
Smiley  Bros. 
Hartyer  Bros. 
John  K.  Manley. 
Geo.  Combs. 

342  UlUTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY.  IOWA. 

Ill  addition  to  tlie  foregoing,  two  more  companies  have 
organized  and  begun  operations  since  1895 — viz.,  the  Hilton 
Coal  Company,  of  Hilton,  Monroe  County,  and  the  Central 
Coal  Company,  near  Avery,  a  further  description  of  which 
is  found  elsewhere  in  this  volume. 

Few  of  the  mining  concerns  within  the  county  have 
achieved  much  success  financially  within  recent  years.  Labor 
disturbances  have  been  one  cause,  and  a  sharp  competition 
in  the  coal  markets  another. 

The  expense  of  mining  in  some  of  the  localities  is  much 
greater  than  elsewhere,  owing  to  unsatisfactory  rooting, 
"faults"  in  the  coal,  hilly  or  uneven  condition  of  the  inner 
surface  of  the  mine,  and  a  variety  of  other  hindrances. 

In  many  cases  the  railroads  themselves  have  discrim- 
inated against  certain  coal  operators,  the  roads  being  more 
or  less  identified  with  coal  enterprises  themselves.  Those 
coal  companies  which  are  accorded  the  special  favoritism  or 
patronage  of  the  railroads  are  successfully  operated  and 
those  concerned  make  money. 

The  fifty  days'  strike  of  1804  was  certainly  an  ill-advised 
move  on  the  part  of  the  miners  of  Iowa.  They  had  no  local 
grievances  to  set  right;  they  struck  out  of  sympathy  for  a 
horde  of  turbulent  foreigners  working  in  the  mines  of  the 
Ea'stern  States — a  population  consisting  largely  of  Sclavs, 
Huns,  and  other  European  nationalities,  little  governed  by 
civilization  or  the  requirements  of  good  citizenship.  The 
loss  to  the  miners  themselves,  entailed  by  the  strike  of  1894, 
amounted,  in  the  First  District,  to  299,584  tons  of  coak  and 
1399,220  in  earnings,  or  a  decrease  of  18.5  per  cent  of 
earnings. 

Following  is  a  list  of  accidents  occurring  in  the  mines 
of  Monroe  County  for  the  two  years  ending  June  30,  1895 : 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA.  343 


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^^::^^S^;:^^5S    a    bc-S    &fi»H    ^-    wjo    •-    2    '-'    '-    '-'    &*"»-    s 

.,1      .^      .^      •r>         4)      ,r^      .^      .rl        ^,        4)        ©<      l*        S         3      ' -"        Cfl         3       ♦J         3        3         3      " "        W        I1 


g  ?^  ?"_  S  ss.  P  *  S  P  ?^  P  a  p  5  cfc  ?=  A  c»  ?  i»  P  P  g  ? 

=c"  ?i  S  2  Zl  S  Vf  ?i  V'f  ?f  2  if  2  2  i  -  2  ;?'  ^i  Vf  ?[  r;  -i.*  2 

p.   J   t,    >>:^.  >   S"   y   bcojx!    ^.  >^>-.  s**j»j   >   -:   o   ^  xi  J3 
oiu«*«oOiu3iiiiiii';;'::';^3ooOOiiK4,4, 


344  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

At  half  past  8  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  November,  1894, 
a  tremendous  explosion  occurred  in  the  mines  of  the  Iowa 
and  Wisconsin  Coal  Company,  two  miles  west  of  Albia.  It 
occurred  in  what  was  known  as  the  back  entry  of  the  main 
Siouth.  It  had  been  allowed  to  fall  in  some  time  previous, 
and  was  now  being  opened  up  again  by  taking  a  "skip"  off 
the  rib.  The  work  had  proceeded  in  this  way  till  at  the  time 
of  the  occurrence  it  was  twenty  feet  ahead  of  the  last  break- 
through where  the  air  was  traveling,  and  1,250  feet  from  the 
bottom  of  the  shaft. 

The  explosion  was  caused  primarilj'  by  a  shot  having 
been  fired.  The  hole  for  the  shot  was  a  2|-inch  hole,  and  it 
contained  four  and  one-half  common  charges  of  powder. 
The  hole  was  G  feet  deep,  and  was  12  inches  out  of  perpen- 
dicular. The  shot  was  fired  by  a  squib.  Four  ijien  sat  near 
the  shot,  inside  the  break-through  and  in  the  main  entry. 
Two  other  men  were  90  feet  distant.  These  men  were  burned 
worse  than  those  in  close  proximity  to  the  shot.  The  shot 
spent  its  force  in  the  air,  blowing  out  the  tamping  without 
breaking  up  the  coal.  The  flame  from  the  shot  seemed  to 
ignite  in  the  air  of  the  entry  either  an  accumulation  of  gas 
or  "dust."  In  thife  explosion  John  A.  Jones  was  killed  and 
James  Dyson  and  George  Taylor  were  severely  burned  and 
maimed  for  life.  The  exact  cause  of  the  explosion  was  some- 
what of  a  mystery  to  mining  experts. 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  TOWA.  345 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

Raihroy  Casualties. 

Early  ou  the  iiioininji:  of  July  l.'Uli,  ISO!),  a  IrelgUt 
train,  consisting  of  an  engine  and  twelve  freight  cai's,  one 
baggage  car,  one  sleeper,  and  one  passenger  coach,  in 
charge  of  Conductor  H.  S.  Miller,  of  Burlington,  rumbled 
sloAvly  down  the  grade  west  of  Albia,  on  the  C,  li.  &  il. 
Kailway.  There  had  been  a  heavy  rain  that  night,  and 
Coal  Creek  was  running  out  of  its  banks. 

Engineer  I'eter  Ericsson  and  David  Deftinbaugh,  fire- 
man. Silt  in  their  places  on  the  lookout  for  accidents.  They 
had  been  warned  that  the  track  was  unsafe,  and  that  large 
quantities  of  sand  had  been  washed  out  from  under  the 
l)iling  of  the  bridge  which  spanned  Coal  Creek.  The 
bndge  was  made  on  pilings,  and  was  about  twenty  fe<4  high. 
When  about  the  center  of  the  bridge,  the  engine  went  down 
with  a  crash,  into  the  water,  followed  by  seven  of  the  cars. 
The  water  was  fifteen  or  twenty  feet  deep;  and  the  c;us, 
after  rising  to  the  surface,  floated  slowly  dawn  the  stream, 
turning  over  and  over  in  their  passage,  until  they  finally 
lodged  against  trees. 

The  engineer  and  fireman  were  submerged  with  their 
engine,  and  as  the  engine^  settled  to  the  bottom  of  the  stream, 
the  men  climbed  out  through  a  window,  and,  coming  to  the 
surface,   floated  down   with   the   cuireni    and    saved    tliem 
selves. 

When  the  train  left  IWirlington,  a  man  named  Wm. 
Ilerriott,  with  his  four  children,  took  passage  in  one  of  the 
ill-fated  box-cars.  They  were  cu  roiitv  to  Taylor  County, 
with  a  team  and  wagon,  but  at  IJurlington  concluded  to 
ship  on  board  the  cars.  Their  wagon  and  (eam  were  taken 
on  lK)ard  the  train,  and  Mi-.  Herriolt  an<l  childreti  remained 
in  the  car  with  Ihe  wagon.  Tlieir  car  was  one  tliat  went 
down  into  the  watery  chasm.  Tiie  father  and  one  little 
girl  escuiK'd  from  the  car.  The  child,  having  crawh-il 
through  the  partially  opened  side  door,  pried  the  do()r  a 
little  wider  open  and  her  father  was  liberated,  and  in  alumt 
an  hour  both  were  taken  ort"  the  car  and  towed  to  dry  land 
by  means  of  ropes. 


346 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 


The  other  three  children  were  drowued,  and  their 
bodies  were  not  recovered  until  some  hours  later.  The 
children's  ages  were  12,  11,  10,  and  S,  respectively.  Emma, 
the  oldest  daughter,  was  the  one  who  made  her  escape. 
William,  12  years  of  age,  together  with  his  sisters  aged  10 
and  8,  respectively,  were  those  drowned. 

A  coroner's  inquest  fixed  the  blame  for  the  accident  on 
the  railroad  company,  and  the  <  ompany  at  once  asked  Mr. 
Herriott  to  name  the  amount   of  damages.       He   named 


UKh>^K  Ui\    iiiK  ioWA  CENTRAL  RAILWAY,  AUGUST  lo,  IS'.Ki. 

|1,000  as  the  amount,  which  the  company  paid  forthwith, 
and  also  tendered  him  |700  more,  which,  was  accepted.  The 
company  also  i>aid  all  the  expenses,  making  the  total  bill 
of  |2,00b.  Mr.  Herriott  was  well  satisfied  with  this  settle- 
ment, and  the  railway  company  was  equally  glad  to  escape 
with  so  small  a  sum.  The  corpses  were  taken  back  by 
friends  to  Bureau  County,  Illinois,  for  burial,  and  the  father 
and  mother  continued  their  journey  to  Taylor  County,  the 
latter  having  in  the  meantime  joined  her  husband. 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA.  347 

At  this  (iiuc  Tom  IVtlU'i-,  wlio  arici-wjirds  hcciinic  (Jcn- 
eral  Supciiiilciulciil  of  the  Cliicagc*,  rMiiliii^toii  iV  (^nincy 
IJailwa.v  system,  was  the  station  ajjent  at  Alltia. 

On  the  ni«;ht  of  the  15th  of  August,  IS\H\,  another 
casualty,  quite  similar  to  the  foregoing,  except  that  it 
was  not  attended  by  loss  of  life,  occurred  on  the  Iowa 
Central  Railroad,  a  short  distance  west  o\'  (he  village  of 
Hickory,  in  Monroe  County.  A  soutli-lxtund  passenger 
train,  <lue  at  Albia  at  !>:ir>  p.  m.,  with  McCarthy  as  con- 
ductor, Eads  engineei',  and  Shopc^s  fireman,  in  passing 
over  the  first  bridge  west  of  Ilickiuy  narrowly  escaped 
being  precipitattnl  into  the  stream.  There  had  been  a 
tremendous  rain,  and  the  accumulation  of  drift  washed 
against  (uie  of  the  jiiers  had  swept  away  one  of  the  bents 
of  the  biidge.  The  engine  passed  ovvv  this  in  Kiune  un- 
accountable manner,  but  the  baggjige  car  began  to  settle. 
The  engine  was  instantly  detachecl,  and  jjassed  on  over 
with  Ihm'  crew,  en  route  to  Albia.  The  next  bridge  was  100 
feet  in  length,  and  about  25  feet  in  height.  It  was  a  W(XKlen 
structure  built  on  piling,  and  spanned  Miller  ('reek,  which 
at  the  time  of  the  accident  was  much  swollen  by  the  recent 
rain.  The  engiu<'  had  no  s(MUier  gotten  fairly  on  the  bridge 
than,  without  a  monuMifs  warning,  it  went  down  into  the 
chasm  with  a  tremendous  crash,  alighting  in  live  or  six 
feet  of  water. 

None  of  the  crew  were  injured  in  the  least  degree.  The 
men  climbed  out  of  the  cab,  and  passed  along  the  si<le  of 
tho  engine  until  they  caught  hold  of  sonn*  projecting 
timbers,  and  drew  themselves  out  of  the  wreck.  The 
engine  sustaincnl  but  slight  injury,  and  within  the  next 
forty-eight  hours  an  inclined  track  was  built  to  it,  when  a 
huge  Mogul  engine  was  harnessed  to  it  by  means  of  a  long 
cable,  and  the  engln«^  was  drawn  out.  If  the  train  ha<l 
l)assed  safely  over  the  tii-st  bridge,  its  fate  at  the  second 
one  might  have  been  terrible  to  contemplate. 


348  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

The  Independent  Club  Guards. 

''January  1,  1844. 

"We,  the  undersigned,  believing  it  necessary  for  the 
better  security  of  our  ckiims,  to  protect  ourselves  against 
foreign  as  well  as  domestic  aggression,  and  to  4$ettle  all  dis- 
putes between  individual  claimants,  and  all  right  to  claims 
according  to  our  neighborhood  or  club  law,  do  form  ourselves 
into  a  club  or  company  known  as  the  'Independent  Club 
Guards  of  Kishkekosh  County.' 

"Article  I.  All  persons  known  as  claim-holders  in 
this  county  may  become  members  of  this  society  by  subscrib- 
ing to  these  articles  and  the  claim  laws. 

"Article  II.  On  motion,  two  members  of  said  company 
shall  be  declared  viva-voce  tellers,  to  receive  the  vote  of  the 
Club  in  their  choice  for  Captain,  Lieutenant,  and  Six  Best 
Men. 

"Article  III.  These  officers  so  elected  shall  serve  one 
veai"  from  the  first  Monday  in  April,  1844,  to  the  first  dav  of 
May,  1845. 

"Article  IV.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  Captain,  or,  in 
the  absence  of  the  Captain,  of  the  Lieutenant,  or,  in  the 
absence  of  both,  of  the  Best  Men,  to  call  upon  the  company 
to  appear  at  command,  and  proceed  with  said  oflBcer  to  hear 
and  decide  all  rights  to  claims  according  to  our  claim  laws, 
and  to  put  the  claimant  having  the  right  to  said  contested 
claim  in  full  and  peaceable  possession  of  the  same,  and 
protect  him  in  said  possession,  fully  and  effectually. 

"Article  V.  Any  officer  who  shall  refuse  to  act  shall, 
by  a  two-thirds  vote  of  the  members  of  said  company,  be 
deprived  of  his  office  and  hold  only  membership, 

"Article  VI.  The  company  shall  then  proceed  to  elect 
officers  to  fill  all  vacancies, 

"Article  VII.  Any  claimant  whose  name  is  attached 
to  our  claim  laws  may  appeal  to  the  Captain  of  the  Guards 
and  state  to  him  his  grievances,  or,  in  absence  of  the  Captain, 
to  the  other  officers,  and  they  shall  protect  said  claimant 


HIHTOKY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA.  H49 

fully  ill  posst'ssioii  of  liis  clnini,  willioul  fnillicr  trimlilc  lo 
siud  claiinaiii. 

'^Alcxmuler  Krnip,  Caplaiii. 

"James  MvRuhcrtif,  Liciilcnanl." 

M(im)iir. 

On  June  25,  1855,  Albia  Lodj^e,  No.  TO,  A.  F.  and  A.  M., 
was  oijjjanized  at  Albia,  with  78  charter  members.  The 
flrst  officers  were  Johii  Bone,  W.  M.;  Samuel  Gossajje,  S.  W.; 
W.  C.  Ilatton,  J.  W.;  Wm.  Mercer,  S.  D.;  Henry  Saunders, 
.1.  1).;  John  McKnight,  Secretary;  R.  M.  Hartness,  Treasurer; 
Jost'idi  Jienoue,  Tyler. 

This  lodge  went  down  linally,  and  in  December,  1889, 
Astor  Lodge,  No.  505,  was  instituted.  This  lodge  at  present 
contains  70  members.  The  present  officers  are:  Ed  Cooper, 
W.  M.;  A.  J.  Beckett,  S.  W.;  W.  J.  Hastie,  J.  W.;  Tom  I). 
Lockman,  Treasurer;  B.  F.  Dufty.  Secretary;  G.  W.  Ilartsuck, 
S.  D.;  Geo.  D.  Miller.  J.  D.;  S.  II.  Hobson.'s.  S.;  B.  E.  Clark, 
J.  S.;  J.  H.  Tobey,  Tyler. 

Koyal  Arch  Masons,  ^lonroe  Chapter,  U.  D.,  was  organ- 
ized July  20,  180fi.  Its  officers  at  present  are:  I.  S.  Jones, 
Most  Excellent  High  Priest;  J.  M.  Easter.  Most  ExcellenI 
King;  Jonathan  Hartsuck,  M.  E.  S. ;  Ed  M.  Noble,  Treasurer; 
A.  J.  Beckett,  Secretary;  Tom  I).  Lockman,  C.  H.;  J.  H. 
Tobey,  P.  S.;  Geo.  D.  Miller,  R.  A.  C;  S.  D.  Loye,  G.  M.  1st 
Veil;  A.  R.  Jackson,  G.  M.  2d  Veil;  J.  H.  Loye,  Jr.,  G.  M. 
ad  Veil;  Jerry  Willcox,  Tyler.  This  lodge  contains  22 
members. 

Knifjhts  of  Pi/thlas. 

Troy  Lo<lge,  No.  M,  was  organized  July  15.  1875.  It 
(►rganized  with  24  charter  members.  The  otticers  were  E. 
C.  Hurlbert,  P.  C;  W.  M.  Glenny,  O.  C;  Val  Mendal,  V.  C; 
C.  P.  Cone,  Prelate;  Jas.  Morns,  Iv.  R.  and  S.;  Geo.  Coleman, 
M.  F.;  I).  M.  Miller,  M.  E.;  Homer  Duncan,  M.  A. 

The  i>resent  officers  aie:  Morris  Loeb,  C.  C;  \i.  ]•]. 
Hindman,  V.  C;  H.  B.  Holesdaw.  Prelate;  John  (Jrac-.  M. 
A.;  Harry  Smith,  J.  C..;  Jas.  .Moodv,  O.  <J.;  l<'rcd  Mason,  K. 
of  R.  and  S.;  L.  B.  Edwanls,  M.  of  E.;  Roy  Alford,  M.  of  F.; 
Lee  Rowe,  M.  of  W. 

The  I.  O.  O.  F. 
Monroe  Lodge,  No.  81.  was  organi/e«i  OttolMi    II,  1S55, 
with  the  following  charter  members:     John    Claik,   'I'hos. 


350  HimORY  Ob'  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

Kenworthy,  S.  D.  Kamey,  A.  G.  Chambers,.  K.  M.  Hartness. 
There  were  about  50  members  at  the  close  of  1856.  The 
first  ofificers  were:  S,  D.  Kamey,  N.  G.;  Thos.  Keuworthy, 
V,  G.;  John  Clark,  Secretary;  R.  M.  Hartness,  Treasurer. 

The  present  officers  are:  John  Hoyt,  N.  G.;  W.  J. 
Lewis,  V.  G.  D.  O.  Clapp,  Recording  Secretary;  J.  P. 
Lamberson,  Permanent  Secretary;  J.  R.  Duncan,  Treasurer. 
The  present  membership  is  154. 

Prior  to  1860  there  was  an  encampment  at  Albia,  but 
in  that  year  it  surrendered  its  charter. 

Albia  Encampment,  No.  19,  1.  O.  O.  F.,  was  organized 
by  Robert  McCormack  in  1876.  At  the  present  time  the 
organization  is  not  doing  any  active  work,  there  being  but 
15  members.  The  organization  is  intact,  and  has  funds 
in  its  treasury.  The  officers  at  present  are:  J.  P.  Lamber- 
son, Chief  Patriarch;  S.  P.  White,  High  Priest;  I.  L.  Mills, 
Senior  Warden;  J.  R.  Duncan,  Junior  Warden;  S.  M.  King, 
Scribe. 

The  A.  0.  U.  W. 

The  Aincient  Order  of  LTnited  Workmen  organized  at 
Albia  in  1881.  The  present  membership  is  160.  The 
present  officers  are:  E.  Mart  Noble,  M.  W.;  Josephus 
Kester,  Foreman;  Wm.  Anderson,  O.;  S.  M.  King,  Financier; 
J.  O.  Varner,  Receiver;  N.  S.  Anderson,  P.  M.;  G.  W.  Stamm, 
Recorder.  The  object  of  this  organization  is  both  fraternal 
and  for  insurance. 

Modern  Woodmen  of  America. 
Earnest  Camp,  No,  264,  was  organized  in  November, 
1886.  The  present  membership  is  26.  The  present  officers 
are:  Chas.  Olson,  Venerable  Consul;  Jesse  Brewer,  Worthy 
Adviser;  Harry  C.  Payne,  Clerk;  S.  M.  King,  Banker; 
Robert  Ford,  Escort;  S.  M.  King,  Physician;  Jas.  Brewer, 
Watchman;  F.  Turner,  Sentry;  S.  T.  White,  Delegate  to 
State  Camp;  Dr.  Hoover,  S.  M.  Tovrea,  and  W.  M.  Crane, 
Managers.  This  society  is  also  fraternal  and  for  purposes 
of  insurance. 

Woodmen  of  the  World. 

Organized  at  Albia  the  4th  of  August,  1896,  with  a 

niembershij)    of   50.     J.  T.  Clarkson,    Consul    Commander; 

J.  W.  Noble,  Lt.  Adviser;  Chas.  Craig,  (Merk;  W.  T.  Shields, 

Banker,   E.   T.   Paulline,    Escoi-l ;  Vern   Noble,  Watchman; 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA.  351 

.1.  W.  AHdid.  Sentry;  Messrs.  llyall  ;iihI  r.aiiraiii.  I'hysi 
cians;  \V.  \\  l)vr\\vi\  C.  N.  liyatl.  and  F.  G.  Chase, 
Managers. 

The  lirlxrcd  Ditjnr,  /.  (>.  (K  /•'. 

Mary  and  Martha  Lod<i;c,  No.  37,  an  auxiliary  of  the 
Odd  Fellows,  was  orjjjanized  in  October,  1875,  by  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
John  H.  Duncan,  Mr.  and  Mrs,  »S.  II.  Anderson,  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
E.  C.  Hurlbert,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  L.  V.  Phinny,  and  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
A.  ('.  IJarnes.  This  lodjie  nourished  for  some  years,  and 
then  became  inactive. 

In  1S!>.~)  Albia  Kebecca  Lodj^i',  No.  Ml'."!,  was  chartered 
on  the  l'4th  of  .lul\ .  and  the  otticers  of  that  orji'anizatiou  are: 
Mrs.  Tovrea,  P.  G.';  Mrs.  \\.  I.  Shields,  N.  G.;  .Mrs.  Max  Loeb, 
V.  G. ;  Mrs.  Dr.  Kinji,  Secretary;  Mrs.  David  Brusser,  Finan- 
cial Secretary;  Mrs.  W.  F. 'Hill,  Treasurer;  Mrs.  John 
'U'atkius,  Ghajdain;  ^Irs.  J.  P.  Lamberson,  Warden;  Mrs. 
Jas.  Flanders.  Gondut  tor;  Mrs.  Samuel  Pill,  Inuer  Guardian; 
D.  O.  Glapp,  Outside  Guardian;  J.  P.  Lamberson.  K.  S.  of 
N.  G.;  Mrs.  A.  (loodman.  L.  S.  of  N.  G.;  Max  Loeb,  K.  S.  to 
V.  G.;  Mrs.  J.  T.  J(mes,  L.  S.  to  N.  G.  The  present  member- 
ship of  this  lodge  is  65. 

Woodmen  Circle. 
Organized  September  1(5,  1S!M;,  with  a  meuibershii»  of 
24.  The  i)tticers  are:  Mrs.  Margaret  Hyatt,  W.  G.;  Mrs. 
W.  I.  Shields.  Adviser;  Mrs.  W.  llartsock,  Clerk;  .^[rs.  Sam 
Tovrea.  Magician;  Mrs.  F^rank  K<hvards.  .\ttendant;  Dr.  H. 
T.  Part  ram.  Physician;  Mrs.  J.  J.  Moody,  I.  S.;  Mm.  Ed. 
Francis,  O.  S.;  Mrs.  Hattie  White,  Oiganist;  Mrs.  Francis, 
Mrs.  Lambeison,  and  Mrs.  Shields.  Managers.  The  object 
of  the  society  is  social  and  beneticiai*y. 

(I'nutd  Annii  <ij  llic  h'cinihUc. 
Orman  Post,  No.  337,  a  semi  military  post,  was  organi/ed 
in  Albia  in  ISSl,  and  at  jtreseiit  contains  aii(»ui  till  members. 
F(dlo\ving  is  a  list  of  the  ollicers  of  the  (Ugani/atiou  foi-  ihe 
])resent  year:  K.  G.  Payne,  P.  G.;  <;.  W.  Fordyce.  S.  \'.  <'. ; 
Wm.  Haycock,  J.  V.  G.";  J.  1..  Duncan,  (l  .M.:  S.  M.  King. 
Surgeon  ;  J.  T.  Y(»ung.  <  'haplain  :  1 1.  Ilickeul  topei-.  .\d julant  ; 
H.  P.  Moore,  O.  D. 

77/r  /'.   /•;.  O.  SisttrhdtHl. 
Chapter  11  of  this  ladies'  fraternal  society  wjis  «»rgan- 
ized  in  Albia  the  31st  of  August.   iNSl.     Tiie  charter  mem 


352  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

bei's  were  Miss  Nannie  Lockman,  Miss  Flora  Perry,  Miss 
Minnie  Early,  Miss  Metta  Boals,  Miss  Carrie  Duncan,  Miss 
Lou  Porter,  Miss  May  l*o)'ter,  Miss  Minnie  Richie,  Miss 
Mabel  Richey,  and  Miss  Etta  Neville.  Since  the  chapter 
organized,  there  have  been  168  initiations,  and  the  member- 
ship at  present  numbers  50  active  members. 

The  present  presiding  officers  of  Chapter  H  are  Mrs. 
Maud  Anderson,  President;  Mrs.  Minnie  Duncan,  Vice-Presi- 
dent; Miss  Angle  Kotfman,  Recording  Secretary;  Mrs  Inez 
Edwards,  Corresponding  Secretary;  Mrs.  Jennie  Duncan, 
Treasurer;  Mrs.  Nellie  Moffett,  Chaplain;  Mrs.  Josie  Hobson, 
Guard. 

The  objects  of  the  society  are  general  improvement;  the 
inculcation  of  faith,  purity,  truth,  justice,  and  charity;  the 
advantages  of  social  relations;  and  the  perpetuation  of 
fraternal  love. 


HISTORY  OB'  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA.  353 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

Horse-B  reeding. 

The  first  horses  in  Monroe  County  were  a  small  haidy 
breed  that  were  crossi'd  with  the  Indian  jionies  of  Ihe  Iron 
tiei-.  The  Illinois.  Missouri,  and  Wisconsin  hors<'S  at  that 
time  eame  ehietly  from  the  stock  mixed  up  witii  Ihe  horses  of 
the  adjacent  Indian  tribes.  The  pioneer  s<'t tiers  of  Jowa  did 
not  brin^  many  liorses  with  them,  but  used  oxen  for  the  first 
few  years.  When  they  did  begin  to  bring  in  horses,  they  pro- 
cured most  of  them  from  the  adjoining  States,  abov<*  men- 
tioned. They  were  horses  tluit  w(Mglie<l  from  1  ()()(>  to  110() 
j)ounds.  They  wer(^  easily  kept,  and  would  subsist  (Ui  sweet 
pum[»kins  if  the  hay  and  grain  supply  ran  short.  They  would 
even  live  through  the  winter  by  browsing  in  the  forc^st  (tn 
bark,  buds,  and  twigs  of  trees,  together  with  what  blue  grass 
they  could  find. 

In  about  tlie  year  1875,  Jas.  B.  Turner  and  one  or  two 
other  gentlemen  b(*gan  to  import  Norman  horses  from  France 
into  ^ronroe  County,  and  a  short  time  later  a  large  Clydes- 
dale stallion,  named  Highland  Chief,  was  brought  over 
th<'  water. 

The  Clydesdales  were  of  ponderous  size.,  but  they  were 
a  little  too  coarse  for  the  horse  market,  and  the  English 
Shire  or  draught  horse  replaced  the  Clydesdales.  The  Shires 
and  Normans  are  the  favorite  breeds  in  Monroe  County 
at  the  present  day,  and  many  fin«'  animals  of  these  classes 
have  been  brought  to  the  county  within  i-eceni  years.  Th(^ 
old  fashioned  "plug"  horse  has  entirely  disa|>peared,  and 
most  of  the  horses  now  raised  by  the  farnuMS  are  of  a  high 
grade. 

Among  thf>se  who  have  been  active  in  the  importation 
and  breeding  of  heavy  horses  were  Jas.  B.  Turner,  .\.  M. 
rjiltner.  Jas.  H.  T.ove  &  Son.  Win.  Pe]»p(M-s,  and  Fri'd  (^lallieis. 

While  farmers  and  bi-eedeis  haxc  been  devoting  atten 
tion  to  heavy  horses  for  the  market,  they  ha\e  also  paid  <on 
siderable  attention  to  spe«Ml  hors<*s,  so  that   t<>(lay  Monroe 
County  contains  some  of  the  best  gfM*rs  in  the  State.     W.  B. 
Griffin,  of  Albia,  in  the  summer  f»f  1S0(5,  purchased  a  trot 
ting  stallion,  named  Ernest  ^\'iUon,  which  is  claimed  to  be 
Zi • 


354  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

the  fastes^t  animal  ever  brought  into  the  county.  It  is  five 
years  old,  and  has  a  three-year  old  record  of  2:27f.  It  was 
brought  from  Paris,  Kentucky,  and  those  who  are  competent 
to  judge  say  the  horse  will  be  able  to  beat  2:15.  Mr.  (Iriffin 
has  another  good  horse,  named  Stewart  Eddy,  and  has  over 
a.  dozen  brood-mares,  among  which  is  Soprano,  a  mare 
formerly  owned  by  ex-Governor  Brown,  of  Michigan,  who  at 
one  time  refused  |.5,000  for  her.  This  mare  is  the  dam  of 
three  2:H0  performers,  and  dam  of  Coldridge,  2:05^,  and 
Choral,  2:09^  Mr.  Griflfin  sells  his  horses  in  all  parts  of  the 
United  States,  and  even  in  (xermany. 

In  addition  to  Mr.  Griffin's  operations,  several  other 
gentlemen  have  been  very  successful  in  the  fast  stock  enter- 
prise. M,  E.  Hennion  &  Son  have  some  good  Kentucky 
strains  of  Wilkes  stock.  Euxine,  a  handsome  stallion,  with 
a  record  of  2:2.5j,  is  owned  by  Willis  Hennion.  It  is  a  fine- 
looking  horse,  and  is  very  speedy.  Walton  &.  Clark  own 
another  good  horse,  named  Castleman.  It  is  highly  bred  and 
a  good  goer.  A  few  years  ago  Jas.  H.  Love  &  Son  were  the 
owners  of  Newton,  a  2:22  stallion.  This  horse,  which  at  that 
time  was  the  best  in  the  county,  was  sold  to  a  gentleman  in 
Dakota,  but  he  left  a  valuable  progeny  in  Monroe  County, 
amcmg  which  is  a  handsome  brown  owned  b3'  Jas.  Titus, 
which  promises  great  speed  when  its  training  is  completed. 


HISTORY  or  .UONIiOE  COUNTY,  IOWA.  355 


CHAPTEH  XXI\. 

The  ISiHi  ('anras.s. 

The  politii-al  canvass  for  the  election  of  tonnly  ((Hirers 
for  tlie  v»*ai'  ISMti  broujilit  into  tlie  tii'Id  llic  folli»\vin^  named 
iientlenu'H  as  part  v  n<(niinees  on  the  liepnhlican  licUoi :  For 
Auditoi',  .losiah  T.  Vonnj:,-;  (Merk  of  the  District  Court.  .J.  \\. 
II.  (Irittin;  Hecorder.  Kobt.  O.  Clapp;  MiMuber  of  the  I'oaid, 
•I.  K.  Watson;  (\Hinty  Attorney,  -Jerry  \\'rij;ht. 

Tlu\  Democrats  and  IV(pnlists  united  tlieir  forces  and 
brouj^ht  out:  For  Auditor,  John  Welsh;  foi-  Cleik  of  the 
District  Court.  (Jeo.  Stamni;  Kectu-der,  A.  K.  Dille;  ('((unty 
Attorney,  J.  T.  Clarkson;  Member  of  the  I'.oard,  John  W. 
Shahan. 

Any  one  of  the  above  candidates  would  make  a  capable 
and  etticient  officer  to  dischar<;e  the  duties  of  his  «>ffice,  but 
at  the  date  of  this  writing-  it  cannot  be  definitely  prophesitMl 
who  will  be  elected  in  the  jieneral  election  in  November. 

Hon.  Josiah  T.  Vounj;  is  a  self-made  man,  and  climbed 
up  from  obscurity  and  poverty.  He  was  elected  to  the  ottit-e 
of  Secretary  of  State,  and  served  two  terms,  durinjj  ( Jovernor 
Carpenter's  ineunibeucy  as  chief  executive  of  the  State. 
Later  he  was  elected  to  the  (ieneral  Ass^Mubly.  and  has  filled 
other  offices  of  public  trust  in  a  satisfactory  manner.  He 
was  a  y;rtod  soldier  and  a  victim  of  a  Southern  rebel 
l)risou-j)en. 

J.  W.  II.  (xriffiu  has  discharj^ed  the  duties  of  Clerk  of 
the  District  Court  for  so  many  years  that  the  Monroe  County 
bar,  irresjiective  of  party  lines,  l(M)ks  upon  him  as  an  indis 
pensiible  fixture.  He  usually  receives  j-onsiderable  support 
from  the  oi»posilii»n  and  is  universally  poi)ular. 

Kobt.  ().  Clapp  is  a  candidate  f(»r  recledion.  lie  has 
made  a  j^ood  otticer,  and  i-eceives  considerable  support 
through  sympathy,  he  being  a  cripple  with  but  one  leg. 

Jerr^'  Wright  is  a  young  attorney  of  Alljia,  just  feather- 
ing out  in  the  legal  profession.  He  is  full  of  enteri>rise.  and 
will  no  doubt  be  competent  to  discharge  the  duties  of  hi.s 
office,  if  elected. 


356  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

J.  K.  Watson  is  one  of  Monroe  Count} 's  most  staunch 
farmers,  and  will  make  an  excellent  Member  of  the  Board 
if  elected. 

Mr.  Welsh  is  a  very  popular  farmer  from  the  west  side 
of  the  count}'.  He  formerly  served  as  a  member  of  the 
Board  of  Supervisors,  and  he  is  just  as  capable  and  deserv 
ing  of  the  office  of  Auditor  as  any  man  in  his  party. 

(xeorjTe  Stamm  was  a  TTnion  soldier,  has  always  lived  an 
honorable,  upright  life,  and  well  deserves  some  official 
recognition  at  the  hands  of  his  party.  He  is  a  Populist  at 
heart,  but  was  formerly  a  Republican,  Welsh  is  a  Democrat. 

A.  E.  Dille  is  a  well-educated  young  married  man,  and  is 
a  good  penman.  He  was  formerly  a  Republican,  but  some 
years  ago  espoused  the  third  party  cause. 

J.  T.  Clarkson  is  a  rising  young  attorney  with  two  or 
three  years'  experience  at  the  bar.  He  is  climbing  up  from 
humbier  walks  in  life,  and  bids  fair  to  reach  an  exalted  rank 
in  the  profession.  His  first  vocation  was  that  of  a  coal- 
miner,  but  he  has  selected  the  law  as  his  life-profession.  He 
is  a  Populist  or  third  party  man,  and  a  few  years  ago  acquired 
some  prominence  through  his  connection  with  organized 
labor  movements. 

Geo.  W.  Shahan  is  a  well-to-do  and  practical  farmer  of 
Mantua  Township.  He  well  understands  the  needs  of  the 
county,  and  has  its  interests  at  heart,  and  would  no  doubt 
make  a  safe  and  efficient  Member  of  the  Board  if  elected. 


insroRY  or  monuok  county,  wwa.  357 


CONTENTS. 

IN'IM{(U>rCTI()N ; 7 

CIIArTEU  I. 

(i'»'i>;:r;»|)Iii(;il  locMiioii.— "Kusc-liiu^."  "correction  liiu^.*'  raii^v  and 
i)i(>ri)1i:iii  Iiii»^.— G(H>lo<jlcnl  ('li;ira«-tor  and  probnble  extent  of 
tilt-  conl  (li'jiosit 11 

rilAPTER  II. 

When  Monroe  County  slinll  ccine  to  n.n  end. — A  horoscope  of  her  des- 
tiny. ;iMd  men-  s|)e(  id;ifi<>n  n.s  to  her  future  greatness,  later  decay, 
and  nllini.-itc  <lissoIntJon ITt 

CIIArTER  HI. 
Moin'(n»  r'onnty  as  a  part  of  th(>  "fiOuls'ana  Pnrcliase." — ^fonro** 
<'oniity  wTuMi  comprising;  a  portion  of  Illinois  Territory,  also  when 
a  p.trt  of  MissfKui.  Mirhiean,  and  AVlsconsln  Territories,  resp»H?t- 
lv»'ly.— ()r;raniz;ition  of  Kislikekosh  (lattM*  Monnn*)  County. — Kish- 
kckosli,  the  Indian  chief— liis  chivalry  anil  friendship  for  the 
whites. — Rl.ick  Hawk.— The  early  homestead  laws.— The  '•Club 
law."— ('laim-jumpin-r  aiul  "claim-pens.**— The  county-seat  con- 
test.— rrinc«»ton  (afterwards  named  AlMa)  and  Clarksvllle  the 
rivals.— Building  the  lo;;  court-hoiise  and  li*;;  Jail 18 

CnATTRR  IV. 
Early  political  methods.— The  Mormon  settlers.— Stearns  of  the  Cains- 
ville  poll-book,  and  the  Con>iressional  end)r(>j;llo  of  IS4S  n-snltlni: 
from  the  act 3.'t 

CHAPTEIt  V. 
Early   tyjies   of  setllr^rs.— Primitive  methofls   of   farming.— Different 
si>i'cics  of  for<'St  trees 3'< 

CHAPTER  VI. 

Monnv?  County  in  defense  r»f  iho  flaj;.— Quotas  of  troops  called  out  by 
the  Fi'<l<'r;il  calls.— The  draft.— Roster  of  ri>;:linents.  showltijr  the 
a;,'e.  rank,  company,  datc^  of  enlistment.  amT  list  of  c;isu.MUle.< 
of  .Mimnv,'  ('(umty  soldiers  enrollc<l  in  the  SiM^ond.  Si.vth,  Scventli. 
Ei<:hth.  Tliirteeiith,  I'iftcenth.  Sevent(>enth.  i:i;:lit<H'ufh,  Twcnty- 
secoiid.  Tliirty-sixth.  Thlrty-scvcnfh,  Foi-fy-slxth.  and  Fortyeghtli 
Iowa  Infaiitiy  Ret;iiiicnts.  tlu'  I''iist,  Second.  Third,  Foiu'th,  and 
Seventl\  Cavalry  Ticjrimcnts,  and  the  Third  Iowa  Rattery.— Early 
militia  or^ranizations. — List  of  old  soldiers  rj^sidlu;;  in  Mour>ie 
(bounty  who  were  euroUe^l  from  other  l<Kalities.  trivinp  reuimeni 
and  company. —List  of  the  soldier  de.id  in  Oak  View  Cemetery, 
plvlii^'  re;,'lment  and  <-ompany  and  date  of  death. -History  of  the 
First  Iowa  Cav, airy. -History  of  the  Sixth  Iowa  Infantry. — Hls- 
toi->-  of  the  Tweiity-secaiid  Iowa  Infantry.— Hlstori'  of  th»»  Th'rty- 
Hixth   Iowa  infantry 43 


358  UIHTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

CHAPTER  VII. 

Monroe  Conuty's  railroads. — The  building  of  the  Burlington  and  Mis- 
souri River  Railroad. — Bnildinj;-  the  Wabash  road. — The  Iowa  Cen- 
tral Railroad. — The  Centerville.  Moravia,  and  Albia  Railway. — The 
Al))ia,  Knoxville.  and  Des  Moines  Railway  and  the  Cliicaf;o,  Mil 
wankee,  and  St.  Panl  Railway. — Taxes  and  bonns  ralstnl  for  the 
construction  of  railroads  by  the  pi'ople  of  jNIonroe  County 125) 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

History  of  the  press  in  Monroe  County. — Urbana  Township  Demo  - 
racy.— Letter  written  by  Horace  Greeley  on  the  subject  of  Fre- 
mont's alleged ownershp  of  slaves. — Mr.  Barnes'  litile  boys  learn  to 
swear. — Young-  T.  B.  Perry  is  reproved  by  the  Independent  Press 
for  his  presumption  in  aspiring  to  be  County  Judge,  and  for  pro- 
curing whisky  with  which  to  advance  his  political  interests.— 
Resolutions  passed  by  the  Urbana  Township  Democracy  in  1S61, 
in  denunciation  of  the  abolition  movement. — Hon.  josiah  T. 
Young's  letter  to  Gov.  Pickens  of  South  Carolina  on  the  subje 't 
of  rebellion. — Old  Henry  Clay  Dean's  speech  at  Albia  in  1860.— 
The  "Knights  of  the  Golden  Circle."— Rev.  Jacob  Weyrick  writes 
a  letter  to  Jacob  Hittle  in  justiflcation  of  human  slavery,  from  a 
scriptural   standpoint 133 

CHAPTER  IX. 

Early  county  offlcers.— Building  of  the  present  court-house.— Mo  r.e 
County  Agricultural  Society.— The  All)ia  post-office.— Methods  of 
obtaining  appointments  as  postmaster 154 

CHAPTER   X. 

Failure  of  H.  K.  Steele's  bank. — The  Monroe  County  Bank  failure. — 
Other  banks  in  the  county 106 

CHAPTER  XT. 

Mui'der  of  Jas.  Gorden.— The  criminal  docket  of  1866.— liyuching  of 
Chas.  Brand(m. — Murder  of  Tom  Hidligen. — Killing  of  Thomas 
Davis.— Horse-thief  bauds.— Lynching  of  Garrett  Thompson.— 
Murder  of  Chris.  McAlister.— Lynching  of  Pleas.  Anderson.— 
Lynching  of   LeAvis   Prazier 17] 

CHAPTER  XII. 

Negro  contrabands.— Milt  Mclntyre's  fight  Avith  a  panther.— Raising  of 
the  "Hickory"  pole  in  Albia  in  186S.— AVild  game  in  Monroe  Conn 
ty  in  early  <lays. — Tlie  circular  wolf-hunt. — Coal-miners'  strike  ai 
Ce<lar  Mines  in  ISXO.— Negro  miners.— The  "Deep  Snow."— Weav- 
ing dotli  in  early  days.— The  "tlax-break"  and  "liackle."— Doster 
Noland's  big  butternut  coat.— Roads  and  road-making.— Pioneer 
fashions  in  dress. — Love-making.— ('om'tship  of  Col.  Dan  Ander 
son. -Conrtsliip  of  old  Sam  Daal.— The  wool-picking  and  the 
spinning-wlieel.— Rise  and  progress  ot  civilization  in  the  "Hairy 
Nation" 183 


HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA.  359 

CIlArTKK  XIll. 
Early  Joys  and  sorrows. —.Milling;  trips.  -'I'lif  ])rairi<>-itrl)  as  a  socuil 
institiitioii.  'Pht*  ihnriniri.  \u  inlcrostiiii:  liiid.  Ki-c  lniiiliii;:. — 
The  lot.^  cabin.— The  •■luM-down."— ("anip-iin'flint,'s  ami  walt-r  nirl 
ons.— Tlu'  "Hanlsiicll"  Bai)tists.  -Hro.  Jackson's  sermon  on  lidl- 
tirc— Jim  rollard  yets  "too  full  of  the  love  of  (iod  to  iiold  cal» 
ba.iro."— Embryo  villatjrs.— The  "wat  r-wi  ch."— School-;  an  1  >chnol 
ma'ams. — Tiie  piiMieer  school-master.— Soai»  Creek  Jniisprud  net'.— 
The  Itij:  tiirht  of  old  Ken  Ashl>ury  and  Newt  Vanclev<>.— other  Itii; 
tizhts  and  law-suits.— rio'.ieer  ft>jryisiu.— ( )ld  Dr.  Tra t her.— They 
kille.l  tlie  fiimily  pij: 2i»i) 

CHArTEK  xiy. 
Buildin.s;  of  the  county  jail  and  late  tiuancial  matters.— Bondinj:  the 
county.— The  county  tax  levy.— The  accumulatiufr  deficit  of  county 
funds.— Axithoritj'  of  the  Board  of  Supervisors •J34 

CHAPTER  XV. 

History  (»f  the  ^lethodist  Episcopal  Church.— The  Soap  Creek  Mis- 
sion.— Th(>  Bloomtield  Mission.— The  TTi»|»i'rWliite-ltreast  ^lission.— 
Tile  Eddyville  Mission.— The  Kno.wille  and  .\ll»ia  Missions.— Com 
plete  list  of  MethiMlist  niiiiisters  identitied  in  minister  al  work  from 
the  or>,'anization  of  the  Chun-h  in  Moni'oe  County  down  to  the 
present  time.— History  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  in  Monro;' 
County. — History  of  the  Associate  Presbyterians  or  "Si-ceders." — 
The  "Seceder"  war  with  the  "Hairy  Nation."— The  .Xsstniate  Ue- 
foriu  Presbyterians.— rnion  of  the  Assoc  ate  ami  Associ  it  •  lii-form 
IxHlies  and  the  orirainzation  and  history  of  tlie  Cnited  Presby 
terian  Church. — The  Covenanters. — The  «'und>erlMnd  Presltyti - 
rians.— Comiilete  h\story  of  the  Uni^'d  Brethren.  Chii-;tiaii.  Baptist. 
Episci>pal.  Catholic,  and  other  church  societies  in  MoiU'cH-County.— 
Laying;  the  ci>rner-stone  of  the  Catholic  t-hurch  at  Stai-yville.— 
Pion»'er  preachers  and  the  ^Towth  ami  pro;,Te.ss  t»f  the  various 
church  s«»clt>ties.— HistiMical  sketch  of  Service  riitrd  P  e  byterian 
Cony:rey:ation. The  Dunkers 237 

(TIAI'TEi:  XVI. 

Avera.>re  crop  yield  of  Monroe  County  for  \Si)~>  and  other  statistical 

item.s.— Bee  cultiu'e.— Political  matters.— Stren;,'th  of  the  n'spective 

political  parties  in  Monroe  County  from  1SS!»  to  ISSMi.  — Mainifac- 

turiug -M> 

CHAPTER    XVII. 
The  city  of  Albia.— .\very.— Hyms  City.— Foster.— Blaki'sbur;:.— M»>1- 
ro.se.— Stacy  ville.-I-'redric.     Hiteman L'IM; 

CHAPTER  WIN. 
Some  battles  with  the  ••Hairy  Nation."  How  a  Sixth  Iowa  Cavalry 
boy  p»t  his  whisky. The  <ildest  white  settler  born  on  lowa  .soil. 
Yankee  pumpkins  as  parlor  furniture.  lO.vtraets  from  some  ol  I 
justice's  dockets.  ."-Nome  early  milling  e.vjdoiis.  How  .Newt  Va:- 
cleve  crossed  Soap  Creek  on  a  I'imM  loj;  with  a  t«'am,  wap't'.  Jiii  I 
ffrist  when  the  strwim  was  out  of  its  b. inks ;;2_* 


360  HISTORY  OF  MONROE  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

CHAPTER  XIX. 

Educational  topics.— Roster  of  Monroe  County  teacliers 320 

CHAPTER  XX. 

The  mining  industry.— The  lower  coal  measures.— Mine-inspection 
districts.— The  eight-hour  strike  movement  of  1890.- The  organi- 
zation of  the  Iowa  Miners' Association.— The  1893  schedule.— Rates 
for  mining  coal  througliout  the  various  mining  districts. — His- 
tory of  the  great  coal-miners'  strike  or  "suspension"  of  1894. — The 
"Ottumwaagreement." — Miners'  convention  at  Albia.— The  "agita- 
tor."—List  of  coal  companies  operating  in  Monroe  County,  their 
daily  capacity,  capital  invested,  etc.— List  of  accidenl^s  occurring 
in  the  mines  of  Monroe  County  for  the  two  years  ending  June  30th. 
1895.— The  Jack  Oak  explosion 331 

CHAPTER  XXL 

Railway  casualties.— The  drowning  of  the  Herriott  children  in  the 
Coal  Creek  bridge  accident.— Wreck  on  the  Iowa  Central  in  Au- 
gust, 1896 3-15 

CHAPTER  XXII. 

The  Independent  Club  Guards.— The  history  of  the  Free  Masons  in 
Monroe  County.— The  Knights  of  Pythias.— The  I.  O.  O.  F.— Albia 
Encampment,  No  19.— The  A.  O.  U.  W.— The  M(xlern  Woodmen  of 
Aonerica.- Woodmen  of  the  World.— Tlie  Rebecca  Degree,  I.  O.  O. 
F.— Woodmen  Circle.— The  G.  A.  R.— The  P.  E.  O.  Sisterhood.  .348 

CHAPTER  XXIII. 
Horse-breeding  and  fast  horses 353 

CHAPTER  XXIV. 

The  1896  political  canvass.— The  tickets  nominated.— Map  of  Monroe 
County 355 


V  COUNTY 

I  ^  .n'rM^cp'oEl 


y    .r. 


12     / 


— --I — ^*' 

21      I       2n  2, 


2S 


r;:? 


r     la;. 


2« 


,x:  2r, 


!^-, 


M       ■  ?m: 


Map  of  Monroe  County,  Iowa.    1896. 


R.Xflll       COUNTY 


R.XVII  M /I  H  A  S  K /I 

37— 


B.rW         COUNTY 


APPA//OOSE 


•      •      •        X   ^  J.  L^      •      •      • 

Senii=Weekly  Union. 


:STABI.ISHED 
IN   1862. 


A.  R.  BARNES,  Publisher  and  Proprietor. 


published  Iw^  Tue^dai]  and  Fridaij. 


READ 

THE  UNION  ,.-^ 

FOR  ^^»t^'n^^Ht■ 


$1.50 


*     fDl.«)V  A  YEAR. 


•     •     •      X  J  J.  ^^     •     •     • 

Senii=Weekly  Union. 


ESTABLISHED 
IN   1862. 


A.  R.  BARNES,  Publisher  and  Proprietor. 


published  Evei^ij  Tuesday  and  Ffidaij. 


READ 

THE  UNION  „,..,. 

FOR  -\^^^^ 


aW 


$1.50 


•^     tDl.dV  A  YEAR. 


The 
IWonroe  County 


Is  the  only 
^    #     Democratic  Paper 
In  Monroe  County. 


BEIiVEIi  &  CI^El^SHAOU, 

POBliISHERS. 


.«'•'.  ..'Ik.  ..'#b. 

*•*      •»•      'T»T 


Subscription  Price,  $1.00  per  Year. 


SEMI-WEEKLY 

Progress=Defender. 

ESTABLISHED  1890. 
ii<  &  «i< 

M.  M.  HINTON,  Editor  and  Proprietor. 

ALBIA,        -       -        IOWA. 


*fk        ^fk        *!i 
W        W        »tf 


T:HE  PROGRESS-DEFENDER  has.  by  far, 
the  largest  circulation  of  any  paper  in  Mon- 
roe County,  and  therefore  it  is  the  best  advertis- 
ing medium.  Official  City  and  County  organ. 
All  home  print.  Job  Printing  a  specialty.  It 
circulates  extensively  among  all  classes  of  people, 
and  will  prove  a  valuable  helper  to  your  business 
as  an  advertising  medium. 


Sk  Jk  Jfi 

^ifi        »1?        »i? 


PUBLISHED  WEDNESDAYS  and  SATURDAYS. 


ROYAL  A.  ADAMS, 


IRER     OF- 


PatentBrake-rodCoupler 


SENT  BY  MAIL  FOR  75  CENTS. 


AGENT  FOR 


CHARTER  OAK  WAGONS 
AND  CIRCULAR  SAWS 


Agricultural  Implements,  Blacksmlthing, 

WAGON-WORK  AND  GENERAL  REPAIRING. 

ALBIA,    IOWA. 


S.  M.  TOVREfl, 

THE  SOUTH  SIDE 

GROCER 
AND  PROVISIONER. 

.  .   .  DEALER  IN  .  .  . 

Fancij  and  ^teple  (^i^ocerie?, 

TOBACCO.  CIGARS.  GLASSWARE. 
QUEENSWARE.  DRIED  and  GREEN 
FRUITS,  Etc.,  at  lowest  liviQg  prices. 

PJ^ODUCE   TAKEN   SRfAB   AS   CASH. 

AlBIA.  IOWA. 


The  only  exclusive  Clothing  Store    conducted  by  Americans 
and  on  the  one-price  basis  ever  in  Albia. 


This  firm  has  enjoyed  an  enviable  trade  from 
the  beginning,  and  are  to-day  the  standard  of 
measurement  in  quality  and  prices,  marking  as 
they  do  every  article  in  plain  figures.thereby  mak- 
ing the  task  of  purchasing  as  easy  for  the  child 
as  for  the  parent.     Handling  the  best  grades  of 

Clothing  t  Furnishings, 

And  being  interested  in  several  stores  through- 
out the  State,  puts  them  in  a  position  to  accom- 
modate those  demanding  the  better  qualities  at 
reasonable  prices.  The  reader  who  appreciates 
legitimate  transactions  and  stylish  garments 
would  do  well  to  visit  this  store. 

ODD  FELLOWS'  TEMPLE,    -   ALBIA,  IOWA. 


C.  H   CLARK 


DEALER  IN  AND  MAKER  OF 


APIARY  SUPPLIES. 


Keeps  in  stock,  or  can  get  an\  and  all  appliances 
needed  in  connection  with  the  management  of  the 


Honey=bee,  Comb  Foundation, 

Smokers,  Boxes,  Etc. 


Also  always  keeps  in  stock  choice  Comb  and  Ex- 
tracted Honey  at  reasonable  prices,  and  breeder  of 


Choice  Italian  and  Carinolia  Bees. 


Queens  range  in  price  from  7")  cents  to  $3.00,  ac- 
cording to  quality  and  season  of  the  year.  He 
will  also  give  personal  service  to  the  care,  hand- 
ling and  transferring  of  bees  where  enough  work 
can  be  gotten  to  induce  him  to  go. 


Address  all  orders  and  communications  to 

C.  H.  CLARK, 

ALBIA,    IOWA. 


W.  GRANT  CLARK.  JOHN  R.  CLARK. 

CLARK  BROS. 

The  Oldest  Established  Firm  In  Monroe  County. 
.  .  .  DEAI-ERS    IN  .  .  . 

FaM  Machinei'ijjmplementg, 

GRAIH  OF  fllili  KlHDS. 

Extensive  Dealers  in  Timothy,  Clover  and  Other  Seeds. 
Vehicles  of  all  Kinds,  Sleighs,  Cast  Sleds,  Etc. 

We  invite  the  public  to  call  on  us 
for  anything  in  our  line. 

flLiBlfl,  lOWfl. 

G.  M.  HEISERMA.N,  Manager.  A.  ANDERSON,  Foreman. 

ALBIA  CYCLE  CO. 


.  .   MANUFACTURERS  OF 


"ssi^icycles,  Etc. 

Repairing  and  Rebuilding  a  Specialty. 

ALBIA,       -       "       IOWA. 


Western  Manufacturng  Company. 


<»  »  ♦ 

lAKERS    OF* 


Pumps  of  all  Kinds, 

AND  FOR  ALL  PURPOSES. 

Also  Hay=stackers,  Rakes  and  Machinery. 


Machine  and  Foundry  Work  of  all  kinds 
promptly  and  satisfactorily  done. 

Can  save  you  money  on  Pipe  Fittings  and 
all  kinds  of  Well  Supplies. 


Call  and  get  oui  figures  when  in  need  of  anything  in  our  line. 

ALiBin,  moNROE  county,  IOCjUA. 

S.  N.  ANDERSON, 


AL.I-   KINDS   or 


Dumps,  Ras  Dipes  and  Fittings, 

A  COMPLETE  LINE  OF  BATH  TUBS. 
ALiBIA,  -  -  IOWA. 


W.  J.  WOODRUFF,  M.D.  p  J.  W.  PABST.  Ph.C 


VooJruff  f  P^xL^I, 

DI^OGGISTS, 

FOSTER,  IOWA. 

.  . . DEALERS   IN  .  .  . 

Drugs,  Paints,  Oils,  Glass,  Pully,  Jewelry,  Holloas,  Elo. 

A  Full  Line  of  PATENT  MEDICINES  Always  on  Hand. 

When  ill  towu  call  and  see  us. 
Oil  the  corner  of 

FOURTH  STREET  AND  THIRD  AVENUE. 


W.  J.  Woodruff,  A.M.,  M.D. 

(Physician  to  Deep  Vein  Coal  Company.) 


.  .  .  Foster,  iowa. 


General  Practitioner. 


special  Attention  Given  to  Supge^y  and 
Obsteti^ical  Work. 


Tho  Doctor  is  anxious  to  practice  for  those  wlio  paj'  \n\w.— Editor. 


